


Rivals

by arianatwycross



Series: Rivals [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:28:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 71
Words: 137,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29343567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arianatwycross/pseuds/arianatwycross
Summary: Draco Malfoy despises anyone that is not pure. So when a half-blood rises up to his challenges, his not sure whether he should be impressed or enraged.Draco Malfoy and Aster Flint can't seem to work out whether their anger rises from their hatred for each other or from something more.Originally on Wattpad
Relationships: Blaise Zabini/Original Female Character(s), Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s), Theodore Nott/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Rivals [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2155953
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	1. The Boy in her Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that this story will be not aligning too closely with the events in the Harry Potter books/movies. 
> 
> Most characters are based loosely off characters from the Harry Potter Novels. 
> 
> This story was originally posted on Wattpad in 2020. However, due to a few books being deleted for explicit content, I moved Rivals over to ao3. These chapters are rather short and they have not been edited since they were posted on Wattpad.

He grasps my hand and shoves it against the wall, his hot minty breath tickles my neck as he plants a soft yet forbidden kiss.

"Aster!"

A familiar voice sang into my ear.

"Girl get up already, we're going to be late"

My eyes spring open as the memory of my dream shifts in my brain. Harper sits on the edge of her bed, pulling her socks onto her feet, an impatient look strewn on her face.

I groan and twist back around, my thoughts tumbling inside of my head as I try to comprehend the meaning of that...interesting dream.

"Seriously Aster, you can't be late. Don't you want to beat Malfoy in Potions this year again?" Harper says as she pulls off my warm covers.

The name flicks a switch in my brain, and I jump up scaring Harper in the process.

"Morning Harpy, today seems like a great day to beat Malfoy to a pulp" I say, giving Harper my best cunning smile.

Harper rolls her eyes at me as she throws my robes in my face.

We end up rushing to breakfast, Harper desperate to at least shove a croissant down her throat before class. She heads towards a bench closest to the door of the great hall, our usual seats on our table. Blaise is already finishing his cereal as I drop myself down onto the hard wooden bench.

"You guys are late...again" Blaise says in between mouthfuls. His eyebrows go up in a nonplussed humour.

"Blame Aster" Harper says as she reaches towards a plate of pastries. I watch as she piles her plate up, my stomach twisting at the thought of food.

I rest my head onto my arms, desperate to get the inorganic thoughts out of my head. That stupid dream, has made me feel queasy. Queasy! I never miss breakfast.

"What's wrong with you Aster?" Blaise asks.

I lift my head slowly and see Blaise pushing his bowl towards the middle of the table.

"Bad dream" I mutter, before again slumping my head onto the table.

Before I know it, Harper's pulling me out of my seat and dragging me to class.

"Seriously girl, what's wrong with you this morning? I mean, you're not normally this tired" She says as she pulls her mousy brown hair into a messy ponytail. Her dark eyes watch me, concern shadows them.

"I'm fine, just had a bad dream" I mutter once again. I run my hands through my own hair, now awake enough to be concerned about my appearance. As we pass a window, I catch my reflection. My dark hair resembles nothing short of a nest. I rake my hands through it harder, desperate for it to flatten.

"Stop." Harper says, grinding me to a halt. She pulls my fingers away from my hair and pulls a small brush from her robe. I roll my eyes as she combs the ends of my hair.

"Seriously, what would you do without me" she mumbles a small smile growing on her face. Her upturned eyes glow with pride as she steps back to examine me.

"Ok ok, I'm a mess. What do you expect from me?" I say as I pull her towards the stream of students and into class.

We sit at a table in the back of the classroom and pull out our 'Advanced Potion Making' textbook. Both myself and Harper have always prided ourselves on our achievements in class, most would say we were nerds but only those brave enough to face us would ever say that to a Slytherin's face.

More Sytherin's and Ravenclaw's fill the classroom. I flick through my textbook, reading snippets of interesting facts. Potions was always my favourite, so much that last year I had come top of the year, surpassing even the one and only Draco Malfoy. Even Hermione Granger couldn't come close to the marks I had gotten.

Our new professor Slughorn, coughs awkwardly to get everyone's attention. Snickers echo throughout the room as the Slytherin's catch his lack of confidence. I roll my eyes at the group of Sytherin's at the end of our table. Malfoy and his gang whisper and laugh as Professor Slughorn tries to ignore the interruption.

Before I know it we're diving deep into the making of a new potion. A polyjuice potion. Harper and I work together, fluidly mixing the knotgrass into the cauldron. The next step allows for it to brew for 60 mins so while we wait, Professor Slughorn tasks us with answering multiple shorthand questions.

The class grows quiet as everyone finishes off the first step of the potion and everyone gets stuck into the questions. All the Ravenclaw's at the front of the class bury the heads in their notebooks. Before I can get stuck into my questions, Harper hisses to my right.

"What?!" I hiss back, cranky at her interruption.

"Malfoy's staring at you" she says, a hint of humour as well as concern in her voice.

"What do you mean.." I stop talking as I flick my eyes towards Malfoy. His piercing eyes stare straight into mine, they flicker as he realises I've caught him but he doesn't pull away. Instead he gives me a smug smile and then turns back to his textbook.

"What the fuck" I say, a chill running down my spine.

"He's just trying to get under your skin" Harper mumbles, apparently not fussed about the strange interaction I just had with someone who hardly looks at me on a regular day.

Before I go back to my work, I look up again. This time he's still looking down at his textbook but instead he holds up his notebook with the words "I will beat you this time" scribbled in his slanted handwriting.

I sigh in exasperation. Seriously, this is what we're doing. I roll my eyes for what feels like the hundredth time today and get back to my work.

As we take a break between our double period, Harper and I walk down towards a stone bench slotted in between two large windows staring out at the Black lake.

Harper sprawls on the bench, her dark robes slip off her legs revealing slim long legs.

"Harps, Cedric has no classes anywhere near here, you are not going to bump into him so put those long legs away will you and give me room to sit" I say as I push her legs off the stone bench and sit crossed legged by her side.

"You never know Ast" Giving me a cunning smile.

"A hufflepuff?" A squealing voice echoes from the hallway. "I guess that's to be expected from a half-blood". Pansy Parkinson struts towards us as she eyes up Harper. Harper's eyes sharpen, anger rising.

"Hey Pansy, it's a good thing we're learning how to make polyjuice potion, maybe you can actually turn that excuse of a face into something a bit more easy on the eyes?" I jab.

Pansy's eyes glisten with hatred as she steps towards me. I keep a smile plastered on my face, letting her know that this just amuses me.

"Draco seems to think I look just fine thank you very much" she counters.

"Oh honey, just fine?" I say gritting my teeth and giving her a cringe worthy smile.

Pansy's eyes blanch at my insult. She huffs in response and turns on her heels stalking back towards Malfoy and his gang.

"What a psycho" I say as I relax back into my seat.

Harper stares after Pansy, the anger in her eyes still blazing.

"Girl, don't listen to her. Pansy and every girl in this school knows that Cedric is probably the best looking guy in our year" I say as I pick the dirt out of my nails.

"Probably?" Harper questions,wiggling her eyebrows at me.

I frown at her.

"Who do YOU think is the best looking guy in our year?" she asks, giving me a playful nudge.

"Dunno" I mumble, as the flashbacks from this morning's dream flick through my head.

"Yeah...right.." Harper says her eyes now returning to their playful light.

I watch as Harper pulls out her mirror and starts to touch up her eyeliner. I find myself scanning the hallways absentmindedly. My eyes rest on one boy in particular.


	2. The Half-Blood Trio

**Draco's POV**

"Pansy, seriously get the fuck off me"

Pansy peels herself off my lap and huffs I ignore her as she mumbles and groans until she gets the message and stalks out of the common room.

"Malfoy dude what are you doing with her?" Crabbe groans as he watches her stalk off.

I cross my arms in reply.

"Seriously, she's hot and she's all over you" Goyle add's as he stuffs yet another muffin into his fat gob.

"She's fucking annoying man. She won't leave me alone, and she's not that hot".

Pansy and I weren't even an item and she hung around me like a moth to a flame. Persistently buzzing about wherever I went. I slept with her a few times last year and she hadn't left my side since. I wasn't even that attracted to her, but I had Crabbe and Goyle egging me on and I just did it, a few times. It wasn't bad but she didn't rise me like...

I groaned as I picked myself up off the couch. A laugh stops me in my tracks. A giggle followed by a shriek. I whip my head around to the common room door and find Aster Flint, Harper Bainbridge and Blaise Zabini. The half-blood trio, the bane of the Slytherin house.

"Seriously Flint, can you keep your excessive shrieking to a minimum. That ugly noise is not befitting of a Slytherin" I complain, as I lean against the exccesive fireplace mantle. I give Crabbe and Goyle a smirk as they watch the trio walk towards us.

"I'm so sorry Malfoy, I didn't realise laughing was against the Slytherin criteria. Would you like me to scowl more often?" Aster retorts, her green eyes gleaming with sarcasm.

"Maybe just try not to exist? Half-bloods aren't welcome here" I reply.

Her eyes roll, and she gives Blaise and Harper a nod towards the other side of the common room. I watch as she saunters away, my blood boiling.

"She would be hot if she wasn't a half-blood" Crabbe mumbles.

I shoot him a look that could kill. "Stay the fuck away from her Crabbe".

Crabbe shuffles away, cowering into the corner of the couch while giving Goyle a surprised look.

**Aster's POV**

"He needs to get over himself" Harper complains as she pulls a dark green blanket over her arms.

We nestled comfortably on a couch far away from Malfoy. The dungeons feel so cold tonight, I scan the room for more blankets. I leave Blaise and Harper talking about tomorrow's quidditch match and rush to my room.

Walking past the dark waters of the black lake, I stroll through the dormitory hallways. I wrap my robes around myself tighter, desperate for the chill to subside. I lean my shoulder into my door and tumble as my foot connects against a pile of Harpers clothes.

"seriously! " I mumble, cursing Harper for being so untidy.

I pull my slytherin woolen blanket from my bed and wrap in round my shoulders. I stand in front of my floor length mirror and see a small dark haired girl wrapped in an emerald green blanket that matches her eyes. I see my mother staring back at me. My mother was a muggle born witch that fell in love with a pure blood man. A pure blood man from a pure blood Slytherin family. The Flints don't talk to me or my father, exiled from our own family just because my father fell in love with a witch with muggle parents. It wasn't shame I felt, I loved my mother but it was hard not knowing who my family was. I had heard plenty of stories about them during my time at Hogwarts, with the majority emphasising that they had a certain disregard for the rules. My older cousin Marcus was a complete pain in my ass until he finished his NEWTS last year and left Hogwarts. He was the only family member I had met outside of my mother and father.

Before I could snap out of my trance, I heard a scoff come from behind me.

Malfoy stood there, arms crossed against his chest leaning casually against my door frame. His eyes glistened as he took me in, blanket and everything.

"Admiring yourself there Flint?"

"Well I am that beautiful" I say, giving him a smirk.

"Wow" he says scoffing at my lack of modesty.

"Well you're not denying it Malfoy. Does someone have a little crush?" I say stalking up to him, with my blanket still wrapped around me. I stop a few feet away from him, letting his silver eyes bore into mine. The tension envelopes me, and I feel goosebumps under my blanket.

"As if I would find you hot Flint" he says after a few seconds of intense silence. I smile at the reply.

"Thank god, because I hate to tell you Malfoy but I don't find you the least bit attractive" I say, giving him a tired look. I step around his figure and leave him standing in my doorway as I stroll back to the hallway and into the common room.

I find Harper and Blaise still chatting humorously, Harper still wrapped up in her own blanket and Blaise sitting at her feet.

"What took you so long?" Harper says as I shuffle myself into the corner of the couch.

"Malfoy" I say, giving her a look that says 'don't ask'. She rolls her eyes in response and goes back to picking her nails. I let Blaise and Harper go back to gossiping, which is mostly Harper talking about who's dating who and Blaise grumbling in reply while he fiddles with the chess pieces laid out in front of him.

Our friendship was odd but somehow worked. In our first year, we were all outcast from the other Slytherins for being the only half-bloods in our year. Blaise hit the grunt of the endless teasing for being a male hanging out with two witches. But I was the main target for Draco Malfoy, my Flint name was like a shining red target that he had to maim every time he saw it. I was outcast from my family and my house.

Luckily, I had a beautiful best friend to keep my sane. I watch as Harper mumbles on about how Cedric ran into her in her last period and how her eyes light up in that Harper excitement. Her dark eyes sparkling with mischief.

From behind her, I catch Malfoy as he picks a book from one of the bookcases in the common room. His shirt sleeves pushed back emphasizing the curves of his biceps as he leans up towards the top shelf.

"Aster"

I snap my eyes back to Harper, fully conscious as to what I was just staring at. I feel my cheeks heat up and I shake my head in confusion.

"What?" I say sharply.

"What are you looking at?" Harper says. I jump up and over the couch before Harper see's what I was looking at, blocking her view.

"Nothing, hey let's go to bed" I say a bit too cheerfully. Still trying to block her view from seeing Malfoy.

"What" she stumbles as she climbs over me. I grab her before she can push me aside, and we both end up in a tangled mess. Suddenly I feel large hands grab my shoulders and pull me off Harper.

"Seriously, I don't listen to you girls for five minutes and you end up like this!" Blaise exclaims mildly annoyed.

Harper gives him a cheesy smile and then focuses her attention back on to the bookcase I was staring at only minutes ago.

I watch as her eyes scan the room back and forth, confusion settles.

"What were you looking at Ast?" She says as she gives me a knowing smile. "Was it a boy? Does little Aster finally have a crush on a boy?" She says as she perches herself on the side of the couch.

"No I don't have crushes on boys, they have crushes on me" I say smugly, pushing Blaise off me.

Blaise chuckles and announces his departure, heading off to bed.

I watch Blaise walk to his room, to avoid looking at Harper.

"Girlll you are so hooked on someone!" She squeals.

"No I am not. I was tired and was just staring off into space" I lie. I pick up my blanket and nudge her off the couch and towards our rooms.


	3. Slytherin Bachelors

**Aster's POV**

Harper grabs the last custard tart from the tray in front of me. Her baby blue nails scooping up the cream dolloped on top.

"So we're going to talk about your little crush Asti" she says, wiggling her eyebrows.

Blaise looks up from his chocolate cake and gives me a very similar look.

"I don't have a crush" I scoff, busying myself with my pumpkin juice.

"Well it's got to be someone in Slytherin, so if we discount the boys in the years below us that leaves..."I give her a few seconds to calculate her mischief, "around 20 bachelors". She says a successful grin plastered on her face. She turns her head towards Blaise laughing at her side and then back to me sitting directly across from her.

"Are you done?" I ask, exasperated already.

She wiggles her eyebrows once again.

"20 Bachelors Aster, that's not many.."

I ignore her pressing and humour myself with another glass of pumpkin juice. Leaning over to the tall pitcher a few seats down from me, I peer over and see familiar glittering silver eyes watching me. My heart stops and I pause before I pick the pitcher up suddenly very aware of every muscle in my body. I try to calm my expression, to try and look bored and not frazzled. I feel his eyes watching every move I make.

Shaking off the tension, I carry the pitcher over to my glass and try to calmly pour the juice into my goblet.

"Well it can't be Crabbe or Goyle, because gross..right Aster? Aster?"

"What? I mean yeah gross no fucking way" I say confidently. Blaise laughs at my response and I widen my eyes in irritation.

Harper looks up and down the large table, searching for her next target, her brown eyes flicking back and forth.

"Montague?" She questions, her top lip upturns as she questions my taste.

"Seriously Harper? Are we really doing this?"

"Montague? Really!" She questions, her voice going up an octave.

"No Harper, no no no no" I say, desperate for the conversation to finish.

I try to slyly look towards the end of the table, my hand itching a non-existent itch on my forehead. Malfoy sits just a few seats up from Harper, his fork pushing around a piece of pie.

"Who?! What!" Harper yells, following my line of vision.

Fuck.

"Why are you yelling?!" I hiss.

"So it's someone in Malfoy's gang?" She says, her smile beaming.

"Malfoy's gang? Seriously Aster?" Blaise finally joins in, a look of disappointment plastered on his face.

"No, seriously I have a crush on no one" I say, sighing loudly

"I don't know Aster, you have been acting rather weird lately" Blaise says, unexpectedly joining in on Harper's gossip.

"I've just been tired"

They both look at each other, as if silently giving each other secret messages.

"Lets just go" I say, sick of sighing and groaning, sick of being the center of their unwanted attention.

I pick myself up from the bench, careful not to look towards the bottom of the table.

I brush down my robes and start fiddling with my hair, twirling my curls with my fingers to help them sit in the right place.

"And now she cares about what she looks like?" Harper says as she jumps up from behind me. "Oh you definitely have a crush my girl". She gives me a smirk as she loops her arm in mine. I don't deny it this time, I just laugh, roll my eyes and pull her away and out of the hall.

"Is it Nott? He's cute in a death eater way" She says as she bounces down the corridor towards the dungeons.

"No" I say flatly. Blaise catches up from behind us.

"You think Nott is cute?" he asks Harper, his sharp features turn icy.

"I mean if he wasn't into that pure blood bullshit I would definitely hit that" Harper says giving me a playful push in the side.

"Harper, gross that's Nott you're talking about!" I say, surprised she would even look at a pureblood Slytherin. Harper was known for being boy crazy, but had not once voiced any great opinions about Slytherins.

"I was joking!" She says, letting go of my arm and strolling over to Blaise. She grabs his arm instead and playfully pokes him in the ribs. I see the tension disappear from his shoulders and a small smile play on his lips.

I walk beside the two, oddly feeling like a third wheel. The air in the corridors grows cooler as we go deeper and deeper under the castle. Once we arrive at the Sytherin portrait, I mutter the password and we all climb into the common room.

"Let's play exploding snap!" I say, desperate for the night to take a playful turn instead of this crazy talk about boys.

Draco's POV

I push my way through the throng of students clustered outside of the great hall, all hanging around and unnecessarily chatting after dinner. Crabbe and Goyle push through a group of first years, causing one to topple over. They both bellow, leaving the small rats to thumble and pull the first year up from the floor.

"Swear these first years are getting smaller every year" Crabbe chuckles, not giving them a second look.

They both flank me as we make our way down to the dungeons.

"Yo lets go raid Weasley's stash and smoke outside" Goyle says, motioning for me to follow him towards the courtyard, the Weasley twins lounging lazily on a stone bench on one side.

"Not interested" I mumble. They both shrug and leave me to walk to the dungeons alone. I had never enjoyed getting high, had never understood why anyone enjoys feeling out of control.

Once I get to the common room, I scan the room for the boys. Nott and Montague, seeing neither of them I groan as I fling myself on the nearest couch. Before I can shut my eyes, I hear the sharp snaps of cards and see the tendrils of thick smoke waft in front of the fireplace.

A laugh fills the room. A soft laugh.

My stomach flips at the sound and I grit my teeth in response.

I pick myself up off the couch and sit on the edge, peering over at the group sitting on the rug in front of the blazing fire.

Aster sits crossed legged next to Bainbridge, her dark green eyes sparkling with laughter as she pushes Blaise onto his back. I feel my back straighten at the sight. Her hands on his chest.

I stand up, causing a nearby goblet to flip off the coffee table and onto the ground. Fuck.

Before I go to grab the goblet, I look up to see Aster staring at me. Her eyes flickering with black emerald flames. Anger.

I can't help it as I say "Fucking hell Flint, if you wanna climb all over Zabini do it in the comforts of your own room".

Her cheeks bleed red as she takes her hands off his chest.

"Fuck off Malfoy" Blaise hisses.

"Aw how cute, your boyfriend argues for you now" I retort.

"Are you jealous Malfoy?" Aster replies, a sweet smile fluttering across her soft face.

I roll my eyes. "You wish Flint".

Unexpectedly she gives me a wink. The action makes me stutter, and I take a mental note to punch myself in the face later.

"Speechless Malfoy, now that's a first" She grins.

I stamp my feet as I walk out of the common room, my blood boiling in a way that no one has made me feel before.

Aster's POV

I watch as Draco storms off, his shoulders broad in confidence.

"Holy shit" Harper whispers, humour dripping off every word.

"What?" I ask, looking back at the cards in my hands.

"It's Malfoy, isn't it?" She asks, her eyes wide with excitement.

"What's Malfoy?" I say, trying to seem disinterested.

"Your crush!" She whispers loudly.

Blaise flips his head towards us, his eyes wide with surprise.

"What the fuck Aster! Seriously him?" He whispers, much quieter than Harper's attempt.

"Fuck off guys, do you really think I would find him attractive?" I say, giving them my best attempt at a lie.

Harper eyes me suspiciously. I flick down a card to the middle of a small circle, desperate for the game to continue.

"Of all boys, I would never have thought you would be into him!" She whispers much more quietly this time.

"I am not into Malfoy," I say through gritted teeth. If this got out, I would be the laughing stock of the whole year. If he found out, he would never let it go.

I look up to Blaise, his mouth slightly open in shock.

"What!?" I groan.

"Nothing," he mumbles, smart to not get on my bad side.

Harper chuckles beside me.

"If it's not Malfoy, who is it?" I ignore her as I shuffle through my cards. "Is it a girl?" Harper whispers.

"No I don't like anyone at the moment, boy or girl". I say as I pick myself up from the ground.

"I'm going to bed" I say shortly, not giving them the chance to reply.

I stroll towards my dorm room, racking my brain of how to get over this stupid ugly crush

Before I know it I bump into a hard surface.

"Wow Flint, calm down. Don't want Zabini to find you climbing all over me as well". I push myself off his chest, but Malfoy grasps my hands to stop me. I look up and find him staring at me with a smirk displayed nicely on his face.

"Let me go Malfoy" I say, as I try to pull myself out of his hands.

He grips me harder, his rings digging harshly into my fingers.

"Heard you've got a crush on someone Flint. Want me to put in a good word with the lucky guy?" he says, his minty breath tickling my ear.

"Fuck off" I say, giving him my biggest death stare.

He shoves me back, leaving my hands to hang limply beside me.

"You've probably never even kissed a guy. But I don't think any of my mates will mind. They rather like virgins" He says, his eyes begging for a reaction.

"Oh , I've done plenty more than kiss, and that's not even with just guys.." I say giving him my most flirtatious smile. His eyes go wide at my admission. I leave him standing there letting him revel in my wake. 


	4. I'm a Slytherin

**Aster's POV**

"I can't wait until we get to make a love potion" Harper says as she flips through our potions textbook." Apparently there's one called Amortentia and it smells different for every person and varies based on what you're attracted to". She gives me her classic wink.

"What are you going to smell then Harps? Cedric's cologne?" I tease, organising each ingredient ready for today's potion.

"Nah I'm over Cedric. He totally bailed on me the other day and like I don't have time for that shit" I look over to find her awkwardly tearing at a piece of parchment.

"Since when?!" I say surprised at sudden calmness.

She peers up from underneath her long lashes. "He said he could never go out with a Slytherin" she mutters, her cheeks blushing.

I feel my blood boil, as I clench my hands into tight fists.

"The fuck is wrong with this school" I mutter under my breath. "Seriously, Harper you're the hottest girl in this school, and they're just intimidated by it" I say releasing my fists and giving her hand a tight squeeze. She gives me a small smile in reply.

Before I can add more, Professor Slughorn coughs and launches into today's lesson.

My mind wanders as he drones on about everlasting elixirs. I was furious about Cedric. I had a few friends in Gryffindor during my first few years at Hogwarts but after the dark lord came back into the picture, they all made some piss poor excuses to not hang out with me. The shadow of being a Slytherin was always going to follow us, and being a half-blood made it ten times worse.

Before I know it, Harper stands up from her stool and starts rearranging my neatly placed ingredients.

"Hey stop!" I say pushing her away from my organised mess.

After class, we both walk towards the courtyard, desperate for some warm sun on this cool autumn day.

We spread ourselves out on the lawn, basking in the golden light.

"You really need to tan more often" Harper mumbles as she shields her eyes from the sun.

I ignore her comment and watch the Weasley twins kick a small ball around the courtyard in front of us. I lean back onto my elbows and feel the heat tickle on my skin.

"Hey" Blaise calls out as he runs over and crashes down next to me.

"Harps, I saw Cedric making his way over" he said wiggling his dark eyebrows.

Harper lifts her hand from her eyes and gives Blaise a glare not meant for this world.

"Woah what happened?" he said leaning away from me.

"Cedric's a dick that's what happened" I say, still watching the boys kick around their incredibly small ball.

"What did he do?" Blaise says, his tone switching. "Did he hurt you?!" He asks as he sits up and peers over to Harper.

"No, he didn't touch me. He wouldn't touch me. Said I'm a Slytherin." Harper spits out.

"Whats wrong with that?" Blaise says innocently.

I laugh at his innocence.

"Blaise seriously, have you not have one girl say they wouldn't date or talk to you because you're a Slytherin. It literally happens all the time to us" I reply.

He stumbles. "I mean, I've never wanted to date anyone in another house, so no".

I look at him bewildered.

"You've dated before though right?" I say, trying to search my memory.

He looks at me awkwardly, and pulls his eyes away before he replies.

"Yes, of course I have. Just not anyone from school" He says quietly.

Harper springs up. "Who have you dated?!" She cries excitedly, "How do we not know this?!"

"You never ask" he mumbles, his eyes squinting from the sun.

I watch as Harper shuffles around me and to Blaise's side.

"Tell me everything" she whispers, a huge grin plastered on her face.

"No," he replies.

"Don't be so stubborn Blaise, c'mon we're friends tell me who the special girl is!" She pushes.

"There's no special girl" he bluntly says, before he pulls out a pear from his robes.

"Did she dump you?" Harper sing-songs.

I roll my eyes at her teasing.

Blaise just bites down on his pear in reply.

"Do you think it will always be like this?" I ask Harper. She looks over at me tentatively.

"What do you mean?"

"Are people always going to judge us just because where in Slytherin?" I ask, biting my short nails.

"Well no, we're not going to be known as Slytherin's when we leave Hogwarts" she replies, giving me a small smile.

I smile back, grateful for a friend that radiates optimism even on her darkest days.

**Draco's POV**

My eyes feel dry and itchy, an irksome side effect of my long night. My run in with Aster ran circles in my mind all night. I had to find out who she had a crush on.

"Hey, did you hear that Flint girl has a crush on someone in our group?" I mumble, not saying to anyone in particular.

"The Half-blood?" Crabbe grumbles as he fiddles with his shoelace.

"I mean she's hot enough to bang, but I don't know if I could touch a half-blood" Montague hoarse voice grumbles.

I look up to find Montague scanning the courtyard, finding his next victim. His large eyes take in every weakness in the vicinity.

I don't reply, careful to not bring too much attention to the topic. I wasn't sure why exactly, but I was hoping no one was chatting her up. The boys tended to switch girls every few weeks, I had no idea how they went through them so quickly, it wasn't as if there were many pureblood girls in our year anyway.

"I thought she had a thing with Cedric" Crabbe adds.

I look to my side. Crabbe gives me a suspicious look.

"Nah that's that Bainbridge girl, the one that crawls over every girl that pays attention to her" I mutter bored.

Montague watches a second year drop his books as he walks past. He kicks one that lands close to us and watches it land face down in the garden bed.

"Why are you so interested in girls all of a sudden Malfoy?" He snickers.

"I'm not" I grunt, giving him my hardest stare.

"Here you go Malfoy, just what you ordered" Montague gives me a slimy grin as he nods towards the trio walking past us.

Flint and Bainbridge strut past arm in arm with Blaise trailing behind them.

"Hey Flint! Heard you got a crush on one of us? Which one is it?! It's gotta be me, I'm the only handsome one in this ugly bunch" He shouts, punching me on the arm. My throat goes dry, as I see Aster's eyes flicker in annoyance, a hint of humour shadowing them.

This girl does not flinch.

I stand tall, taking my back off of the stone wall behind me.

"Oh no you've caught me, I'm so in love with you Montague. It drives me crazy every day. I see you and I can't help but picture you and me..." her voice drips of honey as she steps closer and closer to Montague, his eyes blanch at her forwardness. His face goes pale.

She chuckles, the sound reverberating through my bones.

"In your dreams Montague" She finishes, Bainbridge gives us a proud smirk as she pulls Aster away from us.

I feel my breath return to normal, and shake myself from the trance she just put me in. I look over at Montague, his face still pale.

"Fuck Montague, can't handle the ladies huh?" I say, as I shove into him on my out of the courtyard. 


	5. Butterscotch Pancakes

**Aster's POV**

A small brown owl drops a white envelope onto my lap at breakfast.

It's my usually weekly letter from my parents. I pick apart the wax seal and find the letter to be longer than usual. I read it twice before I fully understand what my father wants me to do.

"Seriously.." I mutter under my breath.

"What's up?" Blaise asks, his mouth half full of butterscotch pancakes.

"My father wants me to meet my Uncle and Aunt." I say, hoping to see humour in this twist of events.

"Marcus' parents?"

I nod, still staring at the parchment in my hands.

"He wants me to meet them in Hogsmeade next weekend. Apparently they've heard how 'smart' I am and think it's time for me to meet them" I say, gesturing the inverted commons.

Blaise stuffs more syrupy pancakes in his mouth. I cringe at the sight.

"What's with you and pancakes? Were you not allowed them as kids?" I tease.

His face lights up and I can't help but laugh as he shoves more into his mouth.

"Don't do that around Harper, she would kill you for being so disgusting in public"

He rolls his eyes in response, swallowing his last mouthful.

"Harper can get a life" he mumbles, the light from his eyes snuffed out.

I frown. The comment is so unlike him. Before I can call him out, Crabbe knocks over a pitcher of water from across me, drenching my breakfast as well as my lap in the process.

"For fuck sake" I groan, giving Crabbe the deadliest stare I could muster. Before a snide comment slips through his teeth, I hiss and push myself up from the table. Crabbe cringes at my look and cowers. Weakling.

"I'm soaked" I state to no one in particular, "I'll meet you in Charms" I say to Blaise before I storm out of the great hall and to the common room.

I try to pat my skirt dry as I storm towards my room. I only have 20 minutes until Charm's class starts, so I push my door open in a fluster and rush towards my trunk. Shuffling out of my skirt, I pull out last year's skirt, the hem riding slightly shorter than my usual. I huff as I pull it down, the scratchy fabric rubbing against my skin.

"Who thought I would ever see the day to see Miss Flint late to class" a soft and cool voice echoes in my doorway.

I spin round to find none other than Draco Malfoy leaning against the wooden frame, his arms crossed in front of his chest. His white long sleeves are pulled tight against his biceps, his green tie loose at his neck. A breath catches in my throat at the sight of him.

"One would think you were stalking me Malfoy" I say, willing my voice to be calm and collected.

"You're the one leaving your door wide open Flint" he retorts, looking down the hallway absentmindedly.

I watch as his jaw ticks. The movement leaving a tingle in my stomach.

"Like you said Malfoy, I'm late. So get out of my way" I say as I stand inches away from his towering body. I look straight at his chest, eye level with his open tie. I watch as he swallows deeply.

**Draco's POV**

I step out of her way before she hears me gulp.

She strolls past me, fully aware that I'm assessing every move she makes. I watch as her slim figure struts down the hallway, her skirt tight against her ass. I can't help but bite my fist in frustration, my blood on fire.

Before she rounds the corner into the common room, she lifts her hand up and flicks me a naughty finger without even one look back.

**Aster's POV**

It's the power he makes me feel. The raw feminine power. That's what I'm attracted too.

I end up getting to charms just before the door shuts. Blaise motions me over to the back of the class, his tall frame a beacon.

"You made it" he states, giving me an accomplished smile.

I give him a tight smile in response. Still shivering from the thrum of energy I had just experienced.

The class flies by. My attention scattered.

I split up with Blaise after class, going to our respective classes. I impatiently wait for Harper outside the potions room, my foot tapping with irritation. I wait until the last minute, but Harpers no where to be seen. I panic slightly, Harpers absence an odd occurrence.

Sitting myself on my stool, alone at our end of the table I tap my clean quill on my notepad. This mornings antics had cause my nerves to be on edge and now Harper not being here to calm them, I was tempted to skip class myself.

I keep my head down, resisting the temptation to look down the table at Malfoy. I can feel his presence like electricity pulsating in the air.

As I listen to Professor Slughorn I can't help but overhear their conversation.

"Malfoy, you wanna go check out Goyle's new broom after class?" I hear Crabbe ask Draco.

"I got shit to do" Malfoy grumbles In reply, clearly not impressed with Goyle's new broom.

"C'mon bring your broom and we can practice" Crabbe adds, desperation leaking.

"I'm got someone else to ride" he replies, giving them both a grin full of malice.

I look up and towards them. As if sensing my stare, Malfoy looks up and back at me. A smirk growing on his face as he looks me up and down. I shiver in response.

Normally I wouldn't have to muster any courage to chat up a boy that was interested in me. I always had a natural flair with boys, it was always so easy and fluid. But with Draco I wasn't sure. He wouldn't dare try anything with me purely because I was a half blood. But I couldn't help but sense that he could also feel the tension sparking between us as he smirks before he looks back down at his textbook.

My skin prickles with heat, my breath hitching as I picture myself doing unspeakable things to the forbidden boy just a few seats across from me.

Fuck.

Class finishes and I struggle off my stool and out of the room. I already know I look a mess. My face flustered and my eyes tired.

I feel someone brush pass me, the scent of peppermint rushing by. I look up to see Malfoy walking backwards and facing me. His eyebrows raised and his smirk still splayed on his lips. I can't help but respond in a daze, my lips slightly parted. I probably look like a gaping fish. But I just couldn't keep it together anymore. 


	6. Handling the Heat

**Aster's POV**

"I might see if Dean's free tonight" I murmur, as I finish off my Transfiguration homework. My dry quill scratches against the parchment, the sound making me grit my teeth.

"Dean?" Harper says in surprise, drawing small daisies in the corner of her textbook.

"Yeah, we had a good time last summer.."

"Ah I see what you mean" Harper says, looking up from her textbook, "a good time" she emphasises, her eyebrows wiggling.

"I'm bored" I groan, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"I think you're just frustrated because you still haven't snagged your little secret crush". She stretches out on the rug beneath her, and gives a small groan as she wiggles her toes.

"I don't have a crush on anyone." I say through gritted teeth.

"Girl, who is this boy that's got you so secretive and fussy?" she says, staring up at the ceiling.

I put my quill down in response and fold my homework neatly.

"I'm not being fussy" I moan.

I see her smile at the dark ceiling, mischief gleaming in her eyes.

"Where's Blaise?" I ask, desperate for the conversation to change.

"In his room" Harper replies as she twists onto her belly.

"We gotta go soon. Let me go get him" I say, her dark eyes slightly scaring me.

I jump up from the floor and make my way towards the boys dormitory. Girl's arent allowed in boys rooms but we can walk the hallways between the dormitories. Knocking on his door, I tap my foot impatiently. After a few drawling minutes, Blaise finally opens his door. His brown eyes look tiresome and his Slytherin quidditch top crinkled.

"C'mon we gotta go, the game starts soon" I say, nodding my head towards the hallway.

Blaise grunts in reply, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Whats up?" I ask. Blaise wasn't one to talk about his feelings, but he had been quiet lately and the look in his eyes made me stop.

He pulls his scarf from the top of his bedpost before he replies.

"Later" he says, giving me a nod towards Nott, head resting on his bed frame fast asleep.

I give Blaise space as he steps past me and out into the hallway. Before I can continue, he walks straight towards the common room, not waiting for me to follow. I frown as I watch his back disappear around the corner.

I shut Blaise's door quietly and start walking towards the common room. Before I know, I'm being pulled into a room to my left. A boys room.

"What the fu-" I squeal. Strong hands push me against a wall. Draco looks down at me, one hand above my shoulder the other slamming the door behind us. He blocks me in with his tall figure.

"What are you doing in the boys dormitory Flint?" a smirk growing on his sculptured face. His silver eyes sparkle.

"What the fuck do you think your doing?!" I say through gritted teeth. I struggle against his chest, the distance between us non-existent.

"Can't handle the heat Flint?" he says, his voice hoarse and husky. The switch in tone makes my legs feel like jelly.

"Get off me" I say quietly, fully aware that I really don't want him to get off me at all.

He tilts his head closer, his eyes drift towards my lips. His breath hot on my skin.

He doesn't speak, he just watches my lips as if waiting for me to move. I can feel my heart thumping beneath my shirt, so forcefully that I know that he can feel it too.

Before it goes further, I push him off, this time successfully. He stumbles back, his eyes still on my lips.

I don't say anything as I open the door to leave. But I do take a second to look him up and down, giving him a smirk I know would make lesser men fall to their feet.

**Draco's POV**

I had no idea what I was doing. I just saw her and pounced.

What the fuck was I thinking getting mixed up with a half-blood!?

I pinched the bridge of my nose in disgust, dragging my fingers along my skin and down my cheeks.

I paced my room. Thank god I didn't have anyone bunk with me, because if they saw that, my reputation would be utterly fucked.

What was she doing to me? Her lips were so full and perfect, just the thought of those on my dick sent me in a frenzy.

Fuck, there I go again.

I slam my door on the way out of my room and storm through the common room. My eyes locked on the back of the portrait leading outside. The turbulent infurriation boils under my skin, as I shove anyone and everyone in my way. Yells and grunts follow my path of destruction but I keep going. I reach the Great hall and scan the countless heads for Pansy.

I need an escape and quick, before I do something I regret.

Pansy makes a big fucking deal about me coming to her in public for once. I keep my mouth shut as she giggles and prances up from the table, giving her friends a cringe-worthy wink.

I don't wait for her. I storm back out of the hall and down a small corridor to the left. After a few more twists and turns and Pansy's giggling echoing behind me I find an empty, abandoned hallway. Only dim flames brighten the patchy hallway, hidden behind opaque sconces. All I can see is Pansy's dark hair striking against her pale skin. Her eyes wide in submission.

She waits until I nod. She steps timidly before me, her eyes scanning my face. I give her no emotions, I just stare coldly into the darkness behind her.

"You know what I like Parkinson" I say, holding her chin up and painstakingly looking into her cold eyes.

She gives me a smug smile.

She kneels down in front of me, her wide eyes drifting to my fly. Her hands apprehensively opening my zipper.

"I haven't got all day," I say under my breath. She looks up, her cheeks blushed and patchy. Her blushing school girl look does nothing for me and I inwardly sigh.

She pulls out my length into her cold hands and I bite my lip at the cool touch. I lean my back onto the rough stones behind me, my hands behind my head.

She finally envelopes her mouth around me, her tongue rushing its way through its job. I clench my fists at the touch, closing my eyes so I don't have to watch who's doing this to me.

She moves her head up and down, slowly at first, she groans before she goes faster and I squeeze my eyes in response.

"Fuck" I grunt.

She takes this as a compliment and grips the back of my thighs. I just want this over and down with, I just want a release from all the tension.

After what feels like forever, I finally cum, not giving her the privilege of warning before it shoots to the back of her throat. She coughs in response but doesn't complain. I know she enjoys this. The first time this happened, I made sure she was ok. But this was what it was like with us. I told her what to do and she did it. She told me once, that's what she found attractive about me, my dominance. I scoffed at her when she admitted that.

I don't watch as she stands up. I just zip myself up and brush myself off.

"We haven't done that in a while" she says, her whiny voice seems to echo in the empty hallways and it rings harshly in my ears.

"It's a once off Pansy, I needed a distraction" I say, quietly but sure.

She doesn't flinch, she probably knew that before we started. I look up and I see her shrug in the dimness.

"You remember our deal, Draco" she mutters.

I nod. We were not to tell anyone the details of our....friendship.

The only thing I admire about Pansy.

She gives me a smirk and then turns on her heels and walks off, leaving me in the cool dim hallway, alone.

**Aster's POV**

We end up sitting huddled on a bench watching the game in the afternoon sun, Blaise on my left and Harper on my right. Harper chats to Fred to her right, I can hear her flirtatious tone drift through the cool wind. I watch the game unfold in front of me, Ravenclaw vs Hufflepuff.

We don't normally watch every quidditch match, but for some reason the games have given us all a reprieve from our relentless studies this year. Perhaps the severity of taking our NEWTS next year is finally casting a shadow over our studies.

I feel Blaise tense, his shoulder brushing against mine. I peer over my shoulder and find him grimacing, confused. I look ahead searching the game for what has made him tense. Nothing.

Then I hear Harper.

"Do you want to join me for a butterbeer this weekend?" she says her voice going up an octave.

I hear Fred laugh and accept, before he starts another joke about Hogsmeade causing Harper to bellow in reply.

I look back at Blaise and see anger steadily rising in his brown eyes. His eyes flick towards mine as if suddenly realising I'm staring. My eyes widen in question. He crinkles his nose in response, his annoyance evidently displayed.

I'm suddenly well aware of the situation I am currently in, squished between a boy that just wants one girl and another that wants the attention of all.

My heart sinks for the both of them.

The game finished, Hufflepuff winning by a landslide. Fred and Harper are still chatting, her head flicks back with laughter, her pretty black curls bouncing in the wind. I quickly step up from the bench and beckon Blaise to follow and leave the two chatting. He avoids looking over at them and instead heads straight for the stairway.

Blaise says nothing while we walk side by side to the common room. The tension feels timid and awkward for the pair of us and inattentively tap my nails against the side of my leg as we walk.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I say, careful to keep my tone neutral.

He continues walking, staring straight ahead. I let us walk in silence.

Once we are away from the crowd, he stops and slouches down onto the nearest stone bench, nestled in a small archway.

"I have no idea what I'm doing" he starts, his head between his knees.

I furrow my eyebrows in response, not sure how to respond to this confession. Us Syltherin's weren't used to emotional declarations, unless they were in celebration for something we had achieved.

I sit tentatively beside him and fiddle with my scarf.

"She has no idea does she?" he asks me, tilting his head towards me, his eyes full of sorrow.

"I had no idea before now" I admit, giving him a small smile.

"Do I tell her?" he asks, his eyes doleful.

I pause. Harper was not in the slightest bit ready to digest this information. This could completely destroy our dynamic.

"No" I say, probably selfishly.

He blanches at the answer, but he nods.

"I thought so" he whispers.

I don't explain and he doesn't ask. We both sit there staring at our knees waiting for an answer that probably won't come.


	7. Compromising Positions

**Aster's POV**

The cool air nips at my cheeks, the weather finally coinciding with the season. I've wrapped myself up in my teal woolen trench coat, my thick Slytherin scarf wrapped messily around my neck. I pace outside the The Three Broomsticks, listening to the warm laughter and chatter behind the doors.

"Go, I gotta go meet Fred" Harper urges, giving me a sympathetic smile. She stands in the middle of the street, her black beanie pushing her fringe down and making her face look small.

"I don't know what they look like," I admit, tapping my gloved hands against my thigh.

"You know what Marcus looks like" she replies, now pushing me towards the door.

I shove her off gently, but turn towards the Pub. "Ok, I'll see you later?".

"Of course" she says, her tone sweet and soft.

I nod before I reluctantly open the heavy wooden door.

My mouth feels dry, my swallow meets a lump in my throat and I struggle to breath for a second. The Three Broomsticks is heaving, students, professors and residents fill every chair in the building. The sweet smell of butterbeer drifts throughout the warm tavern and it settles the gurgling in my stomach. Scanning the large room for my Aunt and Uncle, I rest my eyes finally on a tall middle-aged man, the spitting image of my father. My stomach drops as I take in his green eyes and crinkled crow feet.

I stroll nervously up to their table.

"Hi I'm Aster" my voice is consumed by the laughter from the table next to theirs.

My Uncle looks up and his eyes widen as he recognises me. His wife sits opposite him, her tight black curls stiff with hairspray, the same eyes as Marcus.

"Aster.." he says in a way of greeting.

I purse my lips in reply, slightly nodding.

"Sit" he says, pulling out a chair next to him.

As soon as I sit down, my Aunt pours me a glass of water from a nearby pitcher.

"This is your Aunt Penelope and you can call me Uncle Nicolas" he says, a tight nervousness evident in his own voice. I don't reply, instead I take a small sip of my water.

"We thought it was about time we finally met you. We have heard so much about you from Marcus" he starts. I choke down a scoff. 

"We also wanted to see if you would like to meet the rest of the family" my Aunt's voice small and timid. I look up at her, her eyes are wide and shadowed with concern.

I stutter as I try to find a reply, "why?" I finally spit out.

My Aunt looks over at my Uncle, as if looking for permission to talk. He looks so much like my dad that it unsettles me. My head swirls with confusion, as to what to really think about the strangers sitting with me and what this is all about.

"Tough times are coming, and we want to ensure you are safe..." her quiet voice trails off, her long nails curl tightly around her goblet.

I feel the tension rise in the air and I shiver in response.

"What do you mean to ensure I'm safe?" I say, my voice rising as my impatience takes a turn for the worst.

"We want to keep you safe, you are a Flint after all" My uncle says smugly.

"And why won't I be safe with mum and dad?" I counter, my temper rising.

My Aunt flinches at my tone and curls into her chair. I watch as my Uncle sorts through his thoughts, searching for a politically correct way to respond.

"With us...we have allegiances that can keep you protected" he says, his voice unsure and hushed.

I close my eyes and breath deeply.

"I do not need your protection" I state. My tone is firm and a bit too aggressive.

My Uncle nods, but behind those familiar eyes I can see anger flicker.

"Your father cannot protect you from this," he says, his tone flat but unwavering and serious.

My blood starts to fizzle and I clench my fists to keep from doing something I regret.

"My father is a lot stronger than you think" I say, looking him straight in the eyes. I give him a stare worthy of frightening muggles. However, he doesn't flinch, instead I watch as he clenches his jaw.

"Your father is weak." he says beneath his breath.

At this point, I push up from my chair knocking my goblet of water over and onto my Aunt's lap. "My father is a hundred time the man you ever will be" I say before I push past his obnoxiously large figure and leave them both behind me.

Once I'm outside, the cold air feels fresh on my hot cheeks, yet my anger seems to rise even more. My blood boils, my head pounds, my ears ring. I think about how my own parents can let me walk into that building alone, to face those strangers that call themselves family. I'm so angry and so confused about the concern in their eyes, I storm straight past the towering shops and down a small alleyway away from the crowds.

What did they mean by keeping me safe? What was happening? I felt bile rise in my throat as I started to panic. Flashes of my mother and father flicked through my mind. He looked exactly like my father, the same emerald eyes. It made me sick to the stomach to think my father and I shared the same blood as someone so heartless and proud.

My anger was still building, heating me from the inside out. The heat was making my cheeks hot and my skin itch, I pulled off my coat and scarf in a bid to get rid of the irritating energy. Throwing it all on the muddy frost covered pavement, I huffed and groaned.

"Damn Flint, all alone in a dark alleyway. Are you begging to get hexed?" a smooth husky voice appeared at my side.

I didn't bother looking up, I knew who it was. I just kept staring down at my coat lying in a hump in the dirt.

I heard him chuckle and the sound was so enticing I had to look up. His eyes sparkled with mischief, his lips settled in an alluring smirk. My blood seemed to call to him as it boiled beneath my jumper.

I stalked towards him, my eyes locked on his, daring him to back down. He didn't move, instead I caught his eyes flickering with wariness, but after a second they flicked back to his usual deviance.

"Oh, It definitely looks like you're stalking me now Malfoy." I snap my eyes onto his lips, daring him to play.

"You wish I was stalking you Flint. I was just making my way back to Hogwarts when I heard someone crying. Wanted to make sure Goyle hadn't dropped his fizzing wizzbees again" he jokes, his eyes glittering with a challenge.

I tilt my head as I look him up and down, slowly, as if I was dragging out this encounter just to spite him.

I walk closer, not wavering, keeping my eyes plastered on his. I get so close, that he backs into the cobblestone wall behind him.

"Why do we keep getting into compromising positions Malfoy?" I say, my face mere inches away from his. I can smell butterbeer on his breath, mixed with the sweet and sourness of a green apple.

"I don't mind compromising positions Flint" he retorts, quieter this time. He doesn't falter as I move my lips to his ear, instead he tilts his chin up with confidence as if begging me to try more.

"I think you have a soft spot for me" I whisper into his ear.

"Oh it's definitely not soft" he whispers back, a smirk hidden in his tone. I pull back from his ear, now only inches from his lips.

His eyes are so full of lust, I pause. But before he can sense my unease, I slowly pull back.

**Draco's POV**

Before she pulls back even further, I step into her small body, desperate to be closer. She smells of velvety jasmine and smooth sandalwood, I inwardly groan as her scent overcomes me.

"You aren't going anywhere" I say before I crash my lips onto hers. Finally.

She tastes of sweet pumpkin and cinnamon so different from her scent, her tongue is wary at first but she steadily opens up and starts massaging my tongue with the force of so much lust I have to stumble back against the wall for stability. My stomach turns, my heart pounding, my cock swelling beneath my tight jeans. Fuck.

She pushes me firmly against the wall, before moving her lips to my neck and her moans. Oh my god her moans. The sweet sultry sound of her moans could get me off on their own. I pull her closer, my hands finding her waist, and down to her tight ass. I grip it tightly as she finally finds her way back to my lips.

She's so carnal and she has no fucking idea.

Her gloved hands grip the back of my neck, the forceful touch making me dizzy with desire. Her tongue delves deep into my mouth and I get lost in the seductive fight that I don't even realise that her hands have left my neck and have made their way down to my cock. She places her hands lightly over my jeans, giving my cock a tease of a hello. The touch makes my skin flare and I can't help but groan aggressively into her mouth.

She stops. The sound awakens something between us.

She pulls away, her eyes frightened and confused. I watch as she steps backwards, her cheeks bright pink, her perfect lips swollen. She pauses for a few seconds, her dark green eyes lost in what just happened.

Before I can say anything she walks over to her coat lying crumpled on the floor, dusts it off and leaves without so much as a second glance. She leaves me there, back against the cold stone wall, in a dark alleyway in the middle of Hogsmeade. 


	8. "Ok"

**Aster's POV**

I pace the empty dorm, the stifling heat from the nearby small fireplace making me itch and clench my fists.

The room is empty, only four single beds circle me, my roommate's belongings scattered in various nooks and crannies. The room is old and musky, but small enough that the fire sets the room ablaze.

The last hour races through my mind, disgust lies at the back of my dry throat. Disgust for what my Aunt and Uncle said to me. And on top of that, what I did with Draco. For that I was just angry at myself, infuriated. What was he going to tell everyone? That a measly half-blood attacked him in a dark alleyway, desperate and weak?

I hit my hands on the hard oak bed posts, the pain reverberating through my palms and into my wrists. I don't wince, I don't cry I just stare at my palms as if they were not a part of me. The sharp side of the bedpost has slit my hand open and I watched as red blood trickles down my wrist and onto my forearm. I don't even wipe it off, I just watch until it clots and bubbles.

I thought back to the conversation with my Uncle, the severity coating his face, the worried look in my Aunt's eyes.

What was going on?

I suddenly had the urge to write to my parents. Ensure they are safe. But before I pick up a quill and piece of parchment, I stop myself. What if they were unsafe? What if I wrote to them about my Uncle and Aunt and got them into trouble as well as my own parents? I was never going to see them again, but I wouldn't wish death upon anyone.

I knew it had something to do with the dark lord. He who must not be named. I had heard murmurs in the common room, murmurs about his reappearance, his horrific ways. I was a Slytherin, but I also knew that to be successful you were to weigh all possible outcomes before deciding your fate.

I nibbled at my nail, unsure. The taste of metallic coated my lips. I wiped my hand on my jeans, spreading the dark blood onto the rough material.

I hear someone outside my door and Harper appears, her face flushed from the cold and her scarf wrapped tightly around her. She throws her beanie onto her bed, the nearest to the fireplace.

She hovers over the roaring fire, basking her hands in the heat of the flames. Harper was as cold-blooded as they came, a pure Slytherin in that sense. She turns to face me, her face bright and optimistic. That is, before she sees my hands and my disheveled look on my face.

"What the fuck happened?!" She cries, her eyes crinkle in concern. She rushes over to me and pulls me onto my bed. We sit side by side as she runs her smooth fingers over the cut, the bubbles of blood pop as she inspects it.

"That was an accident. I hit my hand on the side of the bedpost" I explain, my voice monotone and low.

She looks up and assesses my face. Her eyes turn cool and calculated.

"What happened?" she asks again, this time quieter.

I leave my hand in hers as I tell her what happened between my Uncle and Aunt. I leave out what happened with Draco, not ready to disclose about my impending doom that was my reputation.

Her mouth gapes a little as I explain. I wasn't worried about telling Harper, I trusted her with my life. She was also just as cunning and resourceful as anyone in this damned house, if anyone was to try and harm her she could easily outsmart them in a heartbeat and have their feet knocked out from beneath them.

"What are you going to do?" She places me hand back into my own lap.

"Nothing" I say simply. I watch as she nods while her brain tinkers away.

"Ok. We do nothing" she pauses, "for now".

"What do you mean? I ask hesitantly.

"Let me see what's going on, if there's anything to worry about" She gives my leg a squeeze and grimaces at the dried blood stain.

"Don't go around asking people Harper! You will get yourself into trouble"

"I won't ask people. I don't know if you know me but I am a magnet for gossip" she replies smugly.

Before I knew it, I was up and off my bed. Harper jumping at my sudden movement.

"I need to go somewhere," I say cautiously.

Harper gives me a questioning look but doesn't quiz me. We were best friends but after living together for so many years, you know when to give your friends space. I leave her on my bed and make my way down to the boys dormitory.

**Draco's POV**

What the fuck what I thinking?

Why in merlin's beard did I kiss her?!

I pace my room, extremely grateful to have it all to myself. It's small but its mine, no roommates, just me. I had begged my father for it, it was only when I told him that students at Hogwarts were nosey fuckers that he relented and paid an exorbitant fee to Hogwarts to grant me this very room.

I drag my hands through my hair, pinching my neck in frustration.

What if she tells someone?! Oh fuck, my reputation would be utterly ruined. Or...I could spin the story? Tell everyone she came onto me, no one would believe her...

I would have to wait and see. See if she told anyone and if I needed to actually do any damage control. She didn't say anything to me when she left. I had no idea how she was feeling or what she thought.

It was driving me utterly crazy.

She was driving me utterly crazy.

But her lips. They were so soft and intoxicating.

I stopped before my thoughts wandered further. This had to stop, this couldn't happen.

I was still pacing my room when I heard a knock on my door. 

"What?" I groan, not in the mood to listen to Crabbe or Goyle's Hogsmeade antics.

"I need to talk to you" her voice calls from the hallway.

I pause. My blood goes cold and yet my face burns up. Her voice echoes and reaches parts of my body I didn't know was possible.

I walk over to the door and pull it back slightly. Her dark hair and her tanned skin seem to glow in the lights reflecting from the glass scones. Her emerald eyes are rimmed with redness. There's no emotion in her eyes and it slightly scares me.

Before I reply, I look up and down the hallway. It's Saturday afternoon, so the dorms are practically empty. When the coast seems clear, I pull her into my room, not bothering to be gentle on those soft hands.

"What do you want?" I gruffly spit out.

She stands tall, not cowering from my mood swing. Instead she looks empty, her eyes void of life and her cheeks show none of that cherry red bliss that usually emanates there.

"What we did...before" She starts, her voice wavering.

I can't look at her. I twist around, my back to hers.

"We did nothing" I simply state. I wait for my door to open and close again, but nothing happens.

Twisting back around I see her staring at her hand. A cut, quite deep and red raw slits down the middle of her palm. I grimace at the sight of it.

"I can fix that," I say, pulling my wand out of my pocket.

"No," she says sharply.

"I don't mind the pain" she whispers.

I can't help but smirk at her.

"How is that funny?!" She chides, her eyes back to life, full of green embers.

"You're so dramatic," I say, biting my lip.

The tension switches. The air around us crackles and fizzes. 

"I know you better than you think Malfoy," she says, her confidence gathering in little strands like their being whipped back into herself. She strides to me, her head slightly tilted, her eyes narrowing.

"Mmm" I reply, watching her with appreciation.

"You like pain just as much as me" she says, now just inches away from me. My blood roils at her presence, singing in pleasure as her eyes bore into mine.

Fuck.

I don't reply. I can't reply. I'm stuck. If I move, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to stop.

She lifts her face to mine. I don't waver. I drink her in. Her long thick eyelashes, her soft pouty lips, I spot a speck of blood on the corner of her lip and it takes every fiber of my being to not brush it away.

She halters when I don't back down. Her eyes search my face for a challenge, but she finds nothing.

"If we do this..." she whispers and my heart stops, "no one can know" she finishes.

I feel my dick tighten against my jeans in anticipation. The regretful thoughts no longer run through my head.

I lean towards her ear and whisper just one word.

"Ok".


	9. Shattering Reality

**Aster's POV**

The 'ok' echoes in my ear like warm honey. His voice is so alluring and husky, it makes my body shiver and goosebumps rise on my arms.

Like a switch has just been flicked, my body reacts, clinging to him, my hands pull at his sweater and I drag him towards me. His body flush with me, I look up into his eyes and find him staring at me, his mouth slightly open.

"Make me forget" I say before I crash my lips onto his.

Oxygen is grabbed from my lungs at the feverish rush of his lips on mine. I feel his hands run down my sides like he's desperate to feel every inch of me. His touch reaches my thighs and his demanding hands wrap around the underside of them, he lifts me up abruptly and locks my legs around his hips. I gasp at the movement, my lips breaking apart from his in a lust-filled breath. I grip onto his broad shoulder to keep myself steady while he walks towards the closed door behind us. He presses my back harshly against the thick wooden door and wastes no time darting his tongue inside my mouth, dancing it along my own. The taste of fresh peppermint coats my lips and tongue and I moan as he nips at my bottom lip. I open my eyes to find him staring at me, his eyes hot and heavy.

I've been kissed so many times before but this is something I have never experienced.

This has completely shattered my perception of reality, a suffocating tangle of heat and hormones.

His large palms travel up my thighs, his rings digging into them as he grabs the underside of my ass in my tight jeans. My hands travel up his shoulders and to the back of his neck and I can't help but slightly dig my nails into his soft skin as his touch causes me to tense and cry out.

A fever ripples through my body, radiating from my lower stomach as our mouths fold against each other with increasingly eagerness.

A deep groan rises from his chest and I can't help but drag him closer to me on hearing that incredibly hot sound. He responds to my action, by pushing me harder up against the door, his hips now grinding forward into mine. My fingers grip tighter in his hair and I buck my hips into his as he sucks hard on my neck.

Without warning, a large force barges into the back of the door. I feel the shift against my back and I feel Draco push me into the door harder, one hand pushing harshly against it. His eyes grow wide.

"Woah Malfoy, what the fuck?" I gruff voice calls from the other side.

I clasp my hand over my mouth, begging my breath to become silent and even. My other hand pushes against Draco's shoulder, balancing me while he shoves hard against the door to keep from opening.

"Fuck off Nott" he calls back, anger growing rapidly in his sharp features. He keeps his burning eyes on mine, his lips in a tight line.

Shuffling comes from behind me and my body tenses.

"Dude, is that Pansy?" Nott questions, a chuckle follows.

I bite down on my lips, desperate to keep my breathing silent.

"Fuck off" Draco replies, venom dripping from his tone. I flick my eyes to his lips as he bites them in frustration. My eyes go wide.

We listen to Nott's steps echoing down the hallway behind us.

He breaks the tension by giving me a smirk. His eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Maybe next time I'll remember to lock the door" he whispers, bringing his lips back to my neck and grasping my thighs tighter as he lifts his hand from the door behind me.

This time his kisses are softer and slower, as if tasting every particle on my skin. I lean my head back on the door, relishing in the softness of his lips. He slowly lets go of my thighs, leaving me to unsteadily bring my legs back to earth. He leaves a hand on my hip, and draws small circles with his thumb just above my jeans.

I groan softer this time, the sound reverberating from my lips. His touch sending me to a dreamy, lust-filled place. I leave my eyes closed as he leaves wet kisses down my neck and to my clavicle. I just stand there, my hands pressed against his shoulders, my head rolled back.

"Fuck, Flint" he murmurs.

The sound of my name coming from his lips causes the butterflies in my stomach to do multiple flips.

He lifts his head up and I feel his fingers tilt my chin down. I open my eyes to find him staring at me.

"I think that was the hottest thing I've ever done" he admits, a small blush grows on his pale cheeks.

"That was nothing," I reply, keeping my voice low and alluring.

His eyes roll to the back of his head as he brings his knuckle to his mouth.

I chuckle at his expression, pleasure radiating through my bones at his non-verbal compliment.

"Do you have anywhere to be?" I ask, timidly. I feel my heart beat quicker as the words leave my mouth.

"Fuck no" he replies, the edges of his lips tug up in surprise.

He leans behind me and grabs his wand from the dresser next to the door.

"Colloportus" He mutters, his voice confident and steady. I hear a lock flick into place and he places his wand back on his dresser before he returns to face me.

"Show me what you've got Flint" he says, his voice low and sultry.


	10. Chapter 10

**Draco's POV**

She's intoxicating. I'm completely and utterly transfixed by her touch.

I don't give myself time to think about what we're doing, the ramifications, the complications this could cause for the both of us.

I pull her towards me, our chests flush against each other. I inwardly groan as she runs her hands against my chest and around my neck. I walk us backwards towards the edge of my bed, her lips leaving wet marks up my neck, her groans reverberating against my skin.

She removes her hands from my neck and I watch as she painstakingly takes her time in trailing her fingers to the top of my jeans. 

"Fuck Flint, I can't take it anymore" I murmur. Ripping my jeans open with one hand for her. She chuckles under her breath and moves her mouth closer to my ear.

"I'm so sorry" the words melt in my ear as she drags each syllable. Goosebumps cover my entire body at the sound of her voice.

I tilt my head back, allowing myself to relish in the pleasure. She pushes her hand slowly into my jeans and runs her fingers over my length. I low moan escapes my lips. I've never been so vocal with a girl before, I've completely lost myself.

She teasingly lifts the band of my underwear and swipes her thumb across the tip of my dick, the small movement captivating my attention. I snap my head up and find her peering down at me, her lashes full and her eyes wide with lust. I watch her watch me and just that simple act makes my dick harden more.

**Aster's POV**

I take matters into my own hands, literally.

I can't help but need to touch him. I hear his breath hitch in his throat and I grasp his length in my hand desperate to turn him on and hear that moan escape his lips again. The thrill of having him under my control makes me so hot, I feel my own body spasm as my hormones surge. I look up and find Draco staring down at me, his eyes flicking from my eyes to my hand. I drag my hand slowly up and down and watch him watch me.

His hands start gripping onto my hips, the tension from my touch evident in his harsh grip.

"No" he says sharply.

I pause, my hand still wrapped around him.

"I need you now" he says steadily. His silver eyes show no sign of mercy as he unexpectedly flips me around and throws me onto the bed. I gasp as I bounce into his large single bed. The bed smells like him, like peppermint swirled with a woody essence. He climbs over the end bed frame, his eyes staring me down like a bird meeting its prey. He gives me a smirk that makes my legs feel like jelly and I absentmindedly gulp.

"Nervous?" he asks, his smirk growing wider.

I ignore his teasing quip and instead grab the collar of his black shirt, pulling him to my face.

"Shut up and kiss me" I say into his mouth.

Before I can connect my lips with his, he pulls away an inch. His eyes mock me as he takes in my glare and instead he turns his attention to my jeans. He hovers over me, one strained arm holding himself up off me while the other hand pops the button of my jeans open. He unzips my jeans and starts to pull them down. I laugh as he struggles.

"A little help?" he asks, his eyes furrowed with impatience.

"Your ass is too big Flint" he purrs.

I answer him by kicking my sneakers off and pulling down my jeans, wiggling and jumping out of them while Draco chuckles. He doesn't waste time as while I'm struggling out of my tight jeans, he's cupping my ass and already has his lips leaving wet kisses on my thighs.

I not-so-gracefully kick my jeans across the room and slam myself back down onto the bed as he expertly arrives at the sensitive sweet spot at the edge of my underwear. He runs his cool fingers against the seam of my underwear and lifts them up.

"I think these need to come off as well" he mutters, lifting his cool eyes up to mine.

"I'm not helping you with that" I quip back, giving him my best smirk.

He raises his eyebrows in reply. Pulling my underwear roughly off me and down my legs.

I feel my whole body shiver as he slowly kisses his way up my thigh. I can't help but moan when he finally touches me, his fingertips swiping across my center.

"Already so wet?" he says quietly, surprise tinges his tone.

I groan, unable to keep the desperation out of my tone. I grip the sides of his bed as his lips inch towards my clit. His fingers create magic with small circles before his tongue finally meets its mark. I buck my hips in response, the touch so exhilarating and intense.

The feeling of his tongue on me makes my heart stop and race faster all at the same time.

"Fuck" I groan, gripping the bed harder and arcing my back so my hips push further into his face.

His chuckle vibrates on my public bone and the sensation feels so unbelievable I feel my legs quake in preparation for my climax.

I tilt my head forward and watch as his soft white hair moves between my legs and a laugh spills out of my mouth. How is Draco Malfoy eating me out right now? How the fuck did this happen and why do I like it so fucking much?

The laugh interrupts his bubble of pleasure and he cocks one eyebrow at my laugh.

"Never thought I would see you of all people in between my legs" I hum.

He gives me his classic smirk, the sight of that smirk in between my legs catching a breath in my throat.

"I don't think I've ever tasted something so fucking delicious" he says before he continues going down on me, his tongue working wonders, licking my clit softly while also putting pressure on my sensitive nerves.

He works a complete symphony until I climax so hard I have to grip onto his shoulders and dig my nails into his hard muscles underneath his shirt.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

He leaves marks on my thighs with his mouth, sucking and kissing his way down and then back up and towards my hips.

The anticipation is already swirling in my stomach again, so I pull him towards me grasping his shirt between my hands.

I attack his neck with hard fervent kisses, while he runs his hands up and down under my jumper and shirt. His hands warm as he cups my breasts.

I leave small red marks on his neck, desperation and need seeping from my lips and onto his body.

Before I can reach his lips, a knock echoes throughout the room. We both pause, our breaths hot and heavy between us. He keeps his eyes locked on mine as we listen.

"Hurry up Malfoy, we got Quidditch soon!" Crabbe yells from the hallway. We listen to the shake of the doorknob as he tries to enter Malfoy's room.

"What the fuck are you doing in there?" Crabbe complains.

Draco groans in frustration as he peels himself off me. The coolness of his absence ripples up my bare legs. I swing my legs off the bed and watch as Draco zips himself up and paces towards the door. My eyes widen and my heart quickens.

"I'll be there soon, I'll meet you in the changing rooms" he calls, his voice level and calm, a paradox compared to his tight fists and furrowed eyebrows.

Crabbe sighs loudly but we listen as his footsteps disappear down the hallway.

I stay quiet, now fully aware that people can probably hear us in this room.

"Can't seem to get a sliver of peace and quiet around this dull school" he mutters.

I pick up my underwear and jeans and start to slide them on, wiggling and pulling my jeans over my ass.

"I gotta go too," I say, looking up to find him picking up my sneakers. He holds them towards his chest, his silver eyes still full of lust and desperation.

"I wasn't finished with you" he replies.

"I definitely wasn't finished with you either, but how about we leave that for next time?" I ask, striding up to him and pulling my shoes from his chest.

He grabs my wrist, his rings digging into my skin.

"There's going to be a next time?" his voice rough and thick.

I halt. Not sure if he wants a next time. I know I shouldn't want it, but after today all I want is a distraction and that was one hell of a distraction.

He grins at me, noticing my unease.

"Oh there's going to be a next time" he answers for himself.

A fever sparks in my stomach again.

He hands my sneakers over to me before he unlocks his door. I watch as he peers out.

"Coast is clear," he says, his smirk reappearing.

I keep my shoes in my hands and stride past him, not giving him the pleasure of saying goodbye. When I don't hear the door close behind me, I continue walking and before I round the corner into the common room, I lift my hand up and flick him my middle finger without looking back.


	11. Fire Whiskey and inhibitions

**Aster's POV**  
  
Harper's still in our room when I return, lying on her stomach with her dark hair spilt over a book.

Throwing my shoes in my open trunk, I collapse onto my bed.

"You wanna go to the game?" She asks, lifting her head to watch me throw up my hands to be face to block out the warm light coming from the roaring fire.

"Mmm" I mumble, not sure if I can move my body anymore.

The after effects of this afternoon's activities start to settle. The distraction clearly not enough to forget about my family and the dark lord. Worry starts to creep into my thoughts again as I remember the words my Uncle said.

 _"Tough times are coming, and we want to ensure you are safe..._ "

Harper interrupts my intrusive thoughts by shoving my coat into my stomach.

"C'mon put your coat on, it's bloody freezing outside"

I walk beside Harper, my hands buried in my coat. The wind has picked up as cold gales snake between the castle.

I listen to her gossip, half-halfheartedly umming and ahhing as she talks about her date with Fred. As if sensing my lack of attention in the subject, she punches my shoulder softly.

"Forget about what happened today" she presses, her lips in a thin line.

For a moment, I think she knows about Draco and I but then I remember what happened in Hogsmeade with my Uncle and my breathing returns steadily.

"I know" I mumble, fiddling with my scarf at my neck.

We end up shuffled on the end of one of the benches at the Quidditch game. I scan the seats for Blaise but can't see him, instead Harper sits snugly next to some first years, her face full of displeasure.

The game was rough, the wind putting up a big fight against the bold brooms. I tried to focus on the actual game but my eyes kept wandering to Draco perched on his broom hovering above the game, eyes frantically searching for the golden snitch.

After many quaffles are thrown through the hoops and one poor third year knocked off his broom by a bludger, the crowd starts to rumble with excitement as Draco speeds past his team and starts to chase the snitch. We all watch as his dark green robes flutter behind him, his arm stretched out in front of him. I feel my breath hitch in my throat as he clasps his hand around the maddening snitch and he throws his fist up in the air in celebration. I can't help but smirk in response as he boasts and grins to his fellow teammates.

The Slytherin house throws a party to celebrate, the dark common room glows with charmed floating green flamed candles. A large table is filled with cakes and sweets and the whole Slytherin team still donned in their uniform laugh and sing triumphantly.

Harper and I stroll in and find our way to the outskirts of the party, carefully avoiding the gloats of the Slytherin purebloods and instead swiping a few goblets of pumpkin juice from the full table.

I stealthily watch Draco as he basks in his limelight, a huge grin plastered on his face and Crabbe and Goyle clasp his back in congratulations. He looks so different in his green jumper, the colour doing wonders for his blonde hair and silver eyes. The sleeves are pushed up against his flexed biceps and I feel my stomach swirl.

"He's so infuriating" Harper mutters, her eyes flicker to Malfoy, guided by my gaze

"Mmmm" I reply, still watching him and the team jump up and down and pour pumpkin juice down their chins. 

As if feeling my stare, Draco's eye glide to mine. His smile drops and instead his eyes glaze over as if remembering something deeply.

The look causes me to break my stare and I furrow my eyes as unnerving thoughts appear in my head.

Why did he look at me like that? Does he regret what we did?

I find Harper swigging a flask into her juice, a craft smile plastering on her face.

"You're not going to share?" I chuckle, beckoning for the flask.

We both gulp down our juices spiked with fire whiskey, and we watch the Slytherin house tumble into chaos. I try and lose myself in the mindless gossip of Harper's world but my eyes often flicker towards Draco.

He's now sprawled out on the large leather couch opposite the fire, far across the room adjacent to me. A grin still plastered on his sharp face, a drink gripped in her large hand. A picture worth painting.

I feel the fire whiskey stir in my veins, my eagerness to play rises steadily. I bring my goblet to my lips and sip at the spiced liquid as I watch Draco sipping and laughing, his throat bobs as he gulps another sip, the sharpness of his jaw makes me shiver with need.

Harper found Blaise about an hour ago and coaxed him out of his room. I sit, one arm supporting my head leaning on the arm of a plush chair, while the two of them chatter and laugh. I take myself back to earlier in the afternoon, the feel of Draco's lips on mine, his touch sending sparks up my spine.

I think it's the fire whiskey talking but I silently will Draco to look my way and if on queue, his eyes scan the room and find me. His eyes are droopy but happy, the obvious aftereffects of his own fire whiskey in his blood. He tilts his head upward and towards the dorms, and it takes me a few slow seconds to understand his nod. I smirk in response, ready to play. 


	12. A Drunk Congratulations

**Draco's POV**

I pick myself up from the couch, not giving the guys an excuse for my departure, they knew not to bother me anyway. Swigging the rest of my drink back, I drop my goblet on the coffee table in front of me and casually make my way to my room.

I leave my door open and wait for her to follow me. The fire whiskey causes my skin to heat up, so I pull my Quidditch jumper over my head and throw it in my open trunk.

"I quite liked that on you" a soft voice says from the open door.

I twist around to see Aster leaning against my door, her arms crossed and her wide green eyes looking me up and down. She looks so fucking beautiful, her doe eyes glazed and her soft lips smirking.

"Twice in one day?" I tease her.

"Wanted to come congratulate you" she replies. She steps closer to me, her eyes not leaving mine.

The air turns thick, and I feel my skin prickle at her voice.

"Yeah?" I manage to spit out.

The corners of her lips turn up before she turns around and closes the door, flicking her wand to lock it.

"You looked good out there" she purrs, now stalking towards me.

I don't know if it's the whiskey in my blood or if it's just being so close to her but I can't muster the normal bravado I carry with me. Nothing comes out of my mouth, the only thing I can do is watch her as she licks her lips and flutters her lashes.

She has no idea what she does to me.

"Wow Malfoy, can't handle some half-blood action?" she taunts, her eyes flickering with a second of doubt.

I feel my stomach twist at the word half-blood but I ignore my natural instincts and instead meet the rising anger that associates with that word and launch it on her.

"Fuck off" I growl before I grab her hips and pull her towards me.

We both immediately crash our lips together, desperation seeps through our pores and into our arousal. I moan into our messy kissing and pull her towards the bed. I sit myself on the edge, and pull her onto me. She rests her knees next to my thighs and sits on my hips. Her hands frantically run through my hair as she pushes her hips down onto me, my erection straining against my jeans. After a few minutes, she breaks away from my lips and trails her hands to my fly.

"I think I deserve to be the one to hear you moan my name" I purr into her ear, stopping her from releasing me from my jeans. The strain makes me cringe with pain but for once, I want to make someone else moan with pleasure.

"What is with you and pants? I much prefer you with none" I mutter as I try to pull off her tight jeans. She laughs into my ear and removes herself from my lap.

I watch as she slips off her jeans, revealing her luscious tanned thighs. Her black lace undies have me biting my lips with anticipation.

"Those. Off." I say nodding to her undies, she stands in front of me as she slowly and sensually peels her undies off, knowingly giving me a show worth remembering.

"Fuck Flint" I chuckle.

She smiles at me, a pink blush painting her cheeks.

"Come here" I mumble, pulling her bare legs towards me and patting the bed next to my knees.

She resumes her position on top of me.

"Much better" I mumble watching my hands run up and down her thighs.

**Aster's POV**

He has a painfully obviously frustration pitched in his pants. I can't help but gasp when his fingers slowly tease my clit, before he inches them in slowly. I throw my head back from a moan as I finally get some sort of release from the tension that had been building all afternoon. His other hand pinches my hips and causes me to flip my attention back to him. His usual smirk now full of malice before he starts to urge my hips to rock against his hand inside of me while his fingers move to meet the grinding of my hips. We don't kiss, instead he watches me moan with pleasure, his eyes full of lust and desperation. He suddenly curls his fingers to hit that delicious sweet spot, having me trembling in just minutes. He attaches his lips to my neck and I truly believe I will combust with tension at the touch. I feel my body starting to reach its climax and I grip his shoulders as I continue to ride his fingers.

"Say it" he murmurs, his eyes glaring into mine.

He watches with heavy pants and parted lips as the orgasm wipes through me.

"Fuck. Draco. Yes." I moan, his name easily rolling off my tongue.

His drunk eyes roll into the back of his head in pleasure.

He slips his fingers out of me and grips his hand on my other hip.

"Fuck Flint, I can't take it anymore. I need you." he moans against my lips, before pressing them against mine.

"Get these off" I complain as I pull at his pants. I can feel our muscles tense with anticipation, as he lifts me off him and lies me down on his bed.

I watch as he pulls off his pants, determination evident in his expressions. Before he climbs back over me, I tut towards his undies.

"Ah, those two" I say, giving him a cheeky smile.

He rolls his eyes humorously back at me but does as I say. I bite my lip as he releases himself from his undies, my mouth watering at the sight of him.

He finally leans over me and I let his gaze linger over my body before I claw at his back. He finally kisses me, wasting no time exploring my mouth. My legs are being pulled apart as Draco pushes them with his knees, his brings his fingers to my center, wiping them slowly across me.

"So wet" he murmurs in my ear before attacking my neck with his lips. I moan as I feel his tip drag up and down my soaked center.

My jaw drops at the same time that Draco breathes out a low moan as he pushes into me slowly.

He slides himself in until he's buried completely inside me, rolling his hips against me with the perfect pressure. He kisses a corner of my lips as he murmurs "you feel so good" into my ear. I whimper in response.

As if the whimper triggered something in him, he slams his hips forwards making me yelp out a startled moan.

He starts to thrust blunt and fast into me, using my thighs as leverage to bounce me back against him to meet the thrusts. I feel my eyes roll into the back of my head as the heat circles my lower stomach and builds after every thrust.

"Shit Flint, you're so fucking wet" Malfoy moans against my ear.

"Harder" I beg into his ear.

"Fuck yes" he responds, his thrusts becoming heavier and heavier.

I start to writher uncontrollably, my muscles spasm from how intense the feeling throbbing in my lower stomach is.

In one final swift moment, he bends my knees and hooks them over the insides of his elbow as he leans forward and holds up his weight with his hands. He drives into me faster and I bite my lip so hard I swear I break skin.

The new angle has me sobbing out moans and I clench my fists into his bed sheets as Malfoy moans in response.

Finally the pressure inside of me ruptures and shatters, my back arching off the bed in retaliation. I throw my head back, while he falls onto my shoulder, both of us panting and choking as our orgasms tear through us.

Like one giant tsunami, the orgasm engulfs me with such euphoria that I can feel every muscle contract against his length inside of me. Malfoy thrusts his hips violently one last time, my name dripping from his lips. His warmth spreads inside of me in spurts while he twitches and pulses.

"Fuck" he whispers between pants. He pulls himself out of me and I feel my body twitch as he leaves me. He lies down next me, both of us gasping for air, limp and unable to move aside from the spasms the muscles are having from the aftershocks of what just happened.

"Looks like I got you to scream my name in the end" I say between rasping breaths.


	13. After

**Aster's POV**

We end up awkwardly lying next to each other, side by side on Draco's tiny bed. Our exasperated pants are the only sound in the empty room. I'm not quite sure how to approach the empty silence, normally we're either at each other's throats or I suppose now, at each other's mouths. I wiggle my toes, the feeling in my legs now returning.

Draco finally moves, pulling his underwear on. I don't feel awkward because of what we have done but purely because I'm not sure how to feel about him. My nerves are still frazzled from the ecstatic feelings that were just released from my body mere minutes ago.

"Well Flint, thanks for the ride" his eyes glint with humour but his body seems tense.

The words hit unexpectedly, but I try and tell myself that's what it was all about.

The pure release of sexual tension. That's all it was.

I calmly pick myself off the bed and gather my clothes. Keeping my back straight and my confidence in tact as I pull my underwear on and zip my jeans up.

Before I can let my female emotions take over, I look up to find Malfoy running his hands through his hair.

"Not too bad Malfoy" I reply, giving him my best smirk. Channeling all the confidence I have left in using those small muscles in my jaw.

He releases his hands from his white hair and grips the back of his neck, his eyes looking me up and down with accomplishment.

I roll my eyes at his surveillance. "You done gawking?" I taunt.

"Mmm, just reliving what we just did all over again Flint" he replies, licking his lips.

I watch his lips, my own mind wandering back to those on my neck. I feel my cheeks flush in response and before I give him more to taunt I collect my wand from the dresser.

"I better go" I say before muttering the unlocking spell and opening the large wooden door.

"See you around Aster" Malfoy calls, giving me a wink before I turn around and head back to the common room. My head spins as I realise what he just said. He called me Aster.

I try and brush my hair with my fingers to smooth out the knots before I see Harper and Blaise. I'm too caught up in my thoughts about Draco that I forget to think of an excuse for my disappearing.

"Girl where you been?" Harper says, her words slurring. Her dark eyes are glassy from the whiskey.

"Umm...bathroom" I quickly snap. I grab a nearby gum drop and shove it in my mouth, my jaw working through the sticky sweet, ultimately easing the tension I've worked up. Why am I worked up? I should be fucking relaxed after what I just did.

She wiggles her eyebrows in response but before she can interrogate me, Blaise pops up from behind her and grabs her shoulders.

"Just overheard Nott say that his parents are ordering him back home tomorrow!" his eyes wide. He squeezes Harper's shoulders before he whispers something in her ear. Her eyes shoot up to the small stairway leading to the dormitories.

I spin round to find Malfoy, hands in his pockets, his Quidditch jumper now switched with a black hoodie.

I don't know if it's the remnants of the fire whiskey in my system or the fact that my brain is still frazzled but it takes me about a minute before I register the look on Harper's face. Her eyes wide, her lips turned up in amusement.

"What?!" I say, also searching Blaise's face for the answer to this obvious humorous situation.

"Where were you?" she says, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Bathroom" I say, my impatience rising.

"With who?" she adds.

"Why would I go to the bathroom with anyone?" I spit out, trying to cover my panic with laughter.

"Well you see, I am increasingly good at observing and knowing the ins and outs of this house and while Malfoy just disappeared with one jumper on, he has returned, just shortly after you, with another on" she deduces. Blaise steps back from behind Harper, his eyes sharp, darting back and forth from myself and Malfoy.

"What has that got to do with me?" I sputter.

"You've been disappearing all afternoon" she adds, her eyes now full of delight.

"I've never had to disclose my whereabouts to you both before, why now?" I retaliate, forgetting to hide the contempt in my tone.

"Forget about it Harper" Blaise mumbles. My stomach drops as I take in his expression, disappointment and weariness in his normally kind eyes. 

My heart feels like it's rattling inside my chest, but I need to distract Harper from this interrogation. She can't find out about Malfoy, I would never hear the end of it.

"What did Blaise say about Nott?" I say, stepping round them both and throwing myself onto the small couch behind them.

I can't bring myself to look at Harper or Blaise, so I instead lean over to grab more gumdrops. The guilt of not telling Harper is already starting to eat up inside me.

"Why is Nott going home?" Harper questions Blaise. I feel the couch sink beside me.

"I don't know. I think it's serious though, he didn't look too pleased" Blaise says beside me.

Silence fills the conversation, the only sounds coming from the excited chatter still evident in the common room. 

I finally brave a glance at Harper, the silence grabbing my attention. Her eyes look so deep in thought and for a quick second I think I see a flash of panic in her features.

After a few more seconds, it's like she snaps back into the present and his eyes blink up into mine.

"Weird" she says, a wide grin now on her pretty face, "I'm gonna get another drink" she says before she skips over to the now-dwindling table of refreshments.

"She's been acting weird lately too" Blaise murmurs.

I look over to find him staring over at her, his eyes soft and his lips in a thin line.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"She has these moments where she goes all quiet and secretive".

I furrow my eyes at his observation. Guilt adds on to more guilt. Have I been so self-involved this week that I haven't noticed my own best friends change in behaviour?

"I haven't even noticed" I whisper, shame pouring out of me.

"Maybe just keep an eye on her? Make sure she's alright?" Blaise presses. I nod in response. "I try and not involve myself with her anymore..." he adds, rather quietly.

"How are you going with it all?" I ask, concerned for my friend.

"Ok, getting used to it," he says simply. I give him a small smile in reply.

While Blaise sips his drink, I search the room for Harper. I find her at the table, chatting to a fourth year, her eyes back to their usual gleaming.

Before I can help myself, my eyes find Malfoy. My heart skips a beat as I take him in, the casual look of the hoodie making him look like a completely different person. His hair is ruffled from earlier and I feel heat rise to my cheeks as I remember my hands running through them just hours before.

"What _have_ you been up to Aster?" Blaise interrupts. I look over at him, he has one eyebrow cocked and he nods his head in the direction of Malfoy. He caught me.

Instead of fretting, I embody my usual confident self.

"Nothing for you to worry about" I say, giving him a smug smile.


	14. Peppermint & Green Apples

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ones dedicated to my original Wattpad readers <3

**Draco's POV**

Nott had been demanded back to his parents, and it was the talk of our group. He had refused to talk about why his parents were making him come home but he still continued huffing and grunting at breakfast, complaining to anyone and everyone about the inconvenience and out right audacity of his parents. I had half a mind to punch him in the throat and be done with his incessant complaining.

It didn't take me long to shove my breakfast down my throat, I had purposely got up early so I could eat without seeing Aster in the Great Hall.

I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about what we did or her for that matter. I couldn't even begin to compare her to Pansy. Pansy was a necessary experience, something that a boy my age was supposed to experience. But Aster was something I actually wanted, not even wanted but something I needed. I didn't know how to process that, or even if it was something I wanted to process.

I couldn't avoid her all morning, we had Potions eventually. But before I knew it my stomach was doing flips and I felt my temper rising quite quickly.

I push myself through the crowds of buzzing second years on the way to Potions, my scowl now very present on my face. I had a habit of disguising my nerves with anger, it had come in handy being a legendary Malfoy. My father was always rattling on about how prestigious and spurious the Malfoy name was.

When I get to potions, I grab my books from my bag and shove them in front of me, the table still empty with only Ravenclaw's trickling in from outside. I felt my eyes grow tired as I try to read my textbook, desperate to get her out of my head.

Crabbe and Goyle stumble in through the doors, their incessant bickering travelling through the room immediately. I frown, their presence already irritating me and making my blood boil.

"Bro why are you here so early?" Crabbe snickers at me, digging his elbow into Goyles chest.

"Shut up and just sit down" I say, not bothering to look up at him.

Suddenly, it was like the air around me froze. Goosebumps materialised on my arms beneath my robes, I tried to stop my eyes from rising up but it was almost painful to not react.

She strolled in, her dark hair tousled but perfect, her green eyes bright and lively. She was laughing at Bainbridge and the sound seemed to reverberate through my bones and cause my toes to curl.

I hate myself.

**Aster's POV**

I'm too busy laughing at Harper to think about the class I just walked into. Harpers been extremely cheerful this morning, courtesy of Fred. He ended up jumping out at her before breakfast this morning, causing her to scream into a fit of laughter.

I didn't see Draco at breakfast, his usual crew were there but I tried not to search the hall for too long.

I jump onto my stool, conveniently opposite Draco. I don't look over, I don't want to give him the satisfaction of being the first to make eye contact. With us, it was a game. A game that I knew had a winner and a loser and I was determined not to lose.

I let Harper chat mindlessly, while I grab my quill and textbook.

"Ok Class, today we will be look at the most powerful love potion in existence" Professor Slughorn announces.

Harper's eye whip towards mine, excitement shining. I roll my eyes in response.

"I want everyone to come up to the front" Slughorn continues, motioning to the wide table in front of him, large cauldrons brewing, pearl swirls drift upwards from them all.

Sounds of scrapping chairs fill the room. Harper drags me to the front, not able to contain her excitement.

I shove myself to the farthest side and lean against the cool stone archway.

There was four cauldrons. Each containing the same potion. A seductive smell was drifting from the one closest to me, I had to try really hard to keep myself from floating towards it.

As Professor Slughorn dawdles on about the properties and complexities of the Amortentia potion, I find my mind wander and my eyes fixate on Draco.

He's relaxed, leaning his tall frame on a a nearby marble statue, his silver eyes glazed and thoughtful.

"Miss Flint, can you please tell me what this potion smells like?"

My eyes flick back towards Professor Slughorn, his old eyes questioning and curious.

"Um.." I pause, letting the scent fill my nostrils, savouring the sweet smell as it fills my head with dizziness, "it smells like peppermint and...apples? Green apples" I conclude.

Harper's snicker beside wakes me from my trance and I snap my head at her.

"Apples? Where are you smelling apples Ast?" She taunts, her lips curling up.

I feel the blood rush to my cheeks. I've literally just announced to the whole class that I'm attracted to a certain smell. It won't be too long until they realise who smells exactly like that.

Professor Slughorn thanks me before continuing with his lesson. I don't listen to the rest of his lecture, I'm too busy trying to cool myself down and figuring out a contingency plan for this mess I just created.

Before I know it, I'm walking back to our table, my head still in a daze from the potion.

I dig my hands into my hair, my head burrowed in the mess of curls.

I hear Harper leave to get the potions ingredients from the inventory. I raise my head and dare a look at Draco, not caring about winning or losing our stupid game.

He's staring straight at me, his eyes beaming with satisfaction.

He knows.

My heart gallops.

He gives me a bemused smile before he turns to his own cauldron.

He may have won this battle but I'm sure as hell going to win the fucking war.


	15. Sugar Quills

**Aster's POV**

After class, Harper still teases me about apples. She has no idea why I smelt that from the potion, so I just let her assume it was something from home.

"Blaise!" she calls, beckoning him over as he wanders in from the courtyard. He joins us as we walk to the Great Hall.

"We did the Amortentia potion today in class!" she tells him, "Aster told the whole class that she smelt peppermint and green apples!" she bellows, bursting into laughter as I give her a smack on the arm.

"Do you really have to go telling everyone?!" I complain.

Blaise raises his eyebrows, letting a small chuckle escape his lips.

"What do you smell, Harper?" He asks.

I flip my attention back to Harper. "I completely forgot to ask you!" I cry, now begging for some payback.

Her dark eyes light up.

"I don't care if everyone knows what I smelt" she announces, a little skip appearing in her step.

"I smelt lavender and butterscotch pancakes" she beams.

I gape at her.

"What?" she cries, her eyes narrowing as she takes in mine and Blaise's expressions.

I look at Blaise, pure shock covers his face.

"Um lavender because of the lavender plants in your mums kitchen right?" I ask.

She nods, her upturned eyes sparkling as she thinks about her mum.

"Butterscotch pancakes?" I press, carefully.

I watch as her eyes stay gleaming, "I like sweets", she explains completely oblivious.

"Mmmm" I mumble.

We walk through the Great Hall's doors, the hall buzzing with the lunch time rush. Sweets fill black bowls in the middle of the large tables, gaudy decorations cover the hall for Halloween in a few days time.

I smile as a plan forms in my mind.

We sit ourselves down in our usual spot, I notice Blaise as he waits for Harper to sit down so he can sit next to me and not her.

We dig into our lunch, a mix of green salads and hot pie. I peer down the end of the table and spy Draco. He's not too far away, so he notices my stare and looks up. I give him my worst smirk. There's a bowl of sugar quills sitting in front of me. I grab a frosted pink one, and unwrap the cellophane before looking back up at Draco.

Once I've caught his attention, I raise my eyebrows as I swipe my tongue up the length of it, keeping my eyes locked on his. I watch as his eyebrows twitch up and his shoulders go tense. I continue to lick the quill, slowly and seductively, all the while keeping an eye on Blaise and Harper, the last thing I want is them noticing what I'm doing. From the corner of my eyes I can see them still eating, their heads down.

I pop the quill in my mouth, making sure to slowly move the hard candy up and down between my lips. Draco's hands grip his knife and fork harder, his lips now clamped in a fine line as his eyes stare sternly at me.

Before I can run my tongue across the tip of the quill, he mouths the word 'now' at me. His eyes on fire as he pushes up against the table.

I smile as I lick my lips, savouring the sweet taste of sour strawberry.

"'I'm going to go to the bathroom before class" I say to Harper before I immediately pick myself up from the table and follow as Malfoy makes his way out of the hall.

I follow him, making sure I'm a few feet behind him at all times. He leads me through the courtyard and down the other side of the castle. He ends up walking back towards the Potions classes and before I can falter he slips into our Potion classroom.

I look up and down the corridor, excitement and nerves bubbling in my stomach. If Snape or Professor Slughorn catch us, we're done for.

I push open the door to the classroom, its empty save for a few boiling cauldrons. Malfoy leans against one of the tall tables, his hands gripping the bench behind him. Closing the door behind me I step towards him.

"If we get caught Malfoy, not even your father can weasel your way out of this one" I taunt, giving him a sly wink.

"Yet you still followed me" he replies, his eyes stern.

I flick my eyebrows up in response and start towards him. Malfoy keeps his stare aimed at me as he pushes himself from the table.

"Do you like being punished Aster?" his voice rattles, sending shivers down my spine.

"I don't think we get punished enough, us Slytherins" I admit, my voice slightly shaky. He's tall frame seems to engulf mine as he stops inches away from me, his head tilted down to mine. The distinct scent of green apples overpowers me and for a second I lose myself in it.

"What you did at lunch, that was bad" he whispers into my ear.

I grin.

"Do you like the smell of green apples?" he murmurs. I can feel his smirk against my ear and my body juts in retaliation.

"Green apples are my favourite" he says, as he licks the corner of my ear sensually.

A moan escapes my lips and I feel my eyes roll in the back of my head as I let my senses take over my body.

"What did you smell Draco?" I mumble, the words leaving my parted lips before I have a chance to think about the consequences of that question.

He hovers over my ear for a split second before he chuckles.

"Wouldn't you like to know" he says before he moves away from my ear. I look up into his clear eyes, and silently beg him for some release.

His hands snake their way under my shirt, his fingers kneading and caressing every inch of my prickling skin before one hand drags up to engulf my breast over my bra, massaging with fever, while the other finds its way under my skirt to the fleshy skin of my behind. Suddenly, he snaps me against him, pushing my centre against the hardness of his own.

"This is what you do to me" he grumbles still staring into my eyes.

The intimacy of his gaze doesn't feel awkward, instead it feels comforting and intense. Like watching a close lightning storm in the confines of a warm parlour.

Finally he kisses me, slowly with a sense of indulgence. A moan reverberates in the back of my throat.

"I need to taste you" I say between his kisses.

He pauses, shock evident in his cool eyes.

I smirk, extremely pleased that I was able to shock Draco Malfoy.

I pull away, earning another confused and shocked look from him and I lower myself down, smoothing my hands under his shirt and to his belt. Before I can unbuckle his belt he grabs my hand.

"Wait," he says between gritted teeth.

"No Draco, you won't tell me to wait. This is happening, here and now" I say looking up between my lashes at him. The cold stone floor is harsh against my knees but I embrace the pain.

I shove his hand off my wrist and unbuckles his belt, pulling his trousers down to his ankles. I hear his breath hitch as I run my hands up and under the bottom of his underwear, cupping his warm thighs. I tug his underwear down to the top of his thighs, letting his hard erection escape. He sucks in a sharp breath and my heart bounces at the sight of him.

I feather my fingers up his rigid length and look back up at him. His expression carnal, his eyes darting from his length to my hand. I have him completely in my clutches.

I wrap my fingers around his base with a confident grip, gliding them up his silky warm skin slowly, watching his frantic eyes focus on every movement and his hands clench at his sides.

I slip my tongue out, ghosting it over his pink tip and feeling a fire swell in my belly over how in control I am.

I swirl my tongue around his sensitive swollen head, then trail my lips to his base, dragging a long lick up his velvet shaft, my tongue pressed flat against it.

I raspy groan escapes from Draco and the sound spurs me to wrap my lips around his tip and sink down onto him.

"Fuck Aster" he gasps, his fists clenching harder.

I sink my mouth down onto him until I feel his tip barely brush the back of my throat,I repeat the movement, moving up and down on him. I'm completely unable to take my eyes off him and I watch as he drowns himself in pleasure, his hooded eyes drunk and locked on mine.

My previous experiences of this act have always come with a sort of expectation to comply but with Draco I feel the desire and need to make him feel as much pleasure as humanly possible. My core throbs harder with each sound that tumbles from his mouth, the groans echoing in the empty classroom.

I suction my mouth around his tip again, sucking and working my tongue around him. Finally, he knits his finger into the front of my messy hair, gripping hard while his chest heaves. A moan travels up my throat as he grips harder.

"I'm supposed to be punishing you" he gasps between laboured breaths.

I grin before I bring my hand to hold onto his hip and start a purposeful faster rhythm with my mouth, keeping my lips tight and pressing my tongue flat against him. I wrap my hand around his shaft to work him in tune with my mouth. His head falls back in response, exposing his taught neck and sharp jaw while his uninhibited noises become louder.

"I'm going to cum" he says before he moves his hands to cup my face, his eyes look so heavy and drunk that my body shivers with anticipation.

"Cum in my mouth" I say before I latch my mouth around his tip again and delve his shaft deeper into my throat.

His large hands travel to the back of my head again as I continue moving faster up and down his length. I feel his body go taut, and his thighs waver before he releases himself in my mouth. I grab the back of his thighs as he's cum shoots to the back of my throat, trying not to gag on the sheer power of the reverberations coming from both of our bodies. I swallow before I slide my mouth off him, giving him a quick sensual lick before I look back at him through my lashes.

He unexpectedly pulls me off the ground and cups my chin in his large warm hands.

"You are unbelievable" he mutters before he crashes his lips down onto mine, swiping his tongue in my mouth before pulling back. His eyes are still hooded and I suddenly realise that a huge smile is still on my face.

It's as if we both snap out of it at the same time, the intimacy shaking us and waking us up from the fever we were just in.

He pulls away from me and hikes his underwear and trousers up. I awkwardly smooth my hair down and wipe a corner of my mouth with my thumb.

The silence is overbearing, and I think back to the silence we sat in after last night. It's like our hormones completely overrides us while we are joined but straight after, when we pull apart the thoughts flood back and the doubt creeps.

I try and busy myself with straightening my shirt and skirt, but I can't push down the doubt that's rising up my throat. I don't know what I expect from him so I don't know why I felt like this but something feels odd.

"I smelt jasmine and sandalwood....and fire whiskey" he whispers, interrupting my thoughts.

I grin, my stomach twisting and turning.

"My perfume" I murmur, looking down at my feet, slightly embarrassed by his admission.

He chuckles.

"Why fire whiskey?" I ask, now looking up at him. His eyes gleam with mischief and I can't help but smirk at him.

"If I recall correctly, we were both drinking fire whiskey last night" he answers before leaving me alone in the potions classroom a smile still embarrassingly plastered on my face.


	16. The Hickey

**Draco's POV**

I'm still processing what I just did with Aster when I enter the common room.

I was so anxious when she got down on her knees. After having just done that same thing with Pansy last week, I thought I wouldn't be able to stand seeing Aster in the same position. She didn't deserve that. But for some reason, she had me completely enthralled. I had probably pictured her doing that to me since the start of the year.

The image of her emerald doe-eyes looking up at me, her lips wrapped around my length was going to haunt my dreams for an extremely long time.

"Malfoy, where have you been?" Crabbe yells from across the room. He sits perched on the edge of the leather couch, his elbows on his fat knees. Pansy sits across from him, lazily lounging on a velvet green wing-backed chair. My stomach drops at the sight of her.

I ignore Crabbe's question and instead drop myself onto the opposite side of the couch. The fire obnoxiously blazes in front of me, and I twist my tie free from my neck desperate for some air to cool me down.

"Wow Pansy, never pegged you for the hickey type!" Crabbe bellows beside me.

His eyes are wide as he stares at my neck. I feel all blood rush from my face and bile rises in my throat. Aster left a hickey last night? Fuck.

Pansy follows Crabbe's stare and I watch as her face drops. Her eyes examine my neck, her eyebrows furrowed with deviance.

"That wasn't me" she admits, her voice quieter than usual. Before Crabbe can latch onto her frailty, her eyes narrow and she switches her quivering lips to a stern smirk.

"Hickeys are for harlots and whores" she jabs.

My blood rushes back to my face, anger now flaring and replacing my dread.

"Jealous that my attention has turned somewhere else, Parkinson?" I retort.

Her eyes widen a fraction but she doesn't falter. Crabbe snickers next to me, thoroughly enjoying the drama unfold in front of him.

"Dude who?" he begs.

"None of your fucking business" I hiss.

I loop my tie back around my neck and knot it tight.

"So Malfoy now has a secret girlfriend?" he teases, his eyes gleaming.

"Fuck off, I don't do girlfriends" I say through gritted teeth.

Pansy's eyes are still latched onto my neck. I don't feel sorry for her, she knew we weren't exclusive. I sure as hell wouldn't care if she started hooking up with someone else.

"Wait, so that wasn't Pansy yesterday...in your room?" Crabbe adds, his brain actually working for once in his stupid life.

I roll my eyes at him, not giving him the pleasure of a response. Suddenly, Pansy shoots up from her chair, her face blotchy and her lips now full on trembling.

Before Crabbe can add more fuel to the fire, she stalks off towards the dorms.

"You're so fucking stupid you know that right?"

"Yeah" Crabbe mumbles, his eyes following Pansy as she walks away.

"You better not fucking tell everyone" I mutter.

He looks up and gives me an ugly smirk, "never" he replies.

**Aster's POV**

Charms class flies by. My thoughts in a muddle of smutty dreams.

"What's got you all flustered?" Blaise interrupts, his eyes still focused on his vinegar filled goblet in front of him.

I watch as he flicks his wand up and down, muttering the spell to change the vinegar to wine.

"Nothing" I murmur, my thoughts still trying to catch up with my eyes.

"Where did you go after lunch?" He asks, after giving up on the spell and resting his wand on his textbook.

"Bathroom" I reply, now picking up my own wand and attempting the spell.

I pronounce the spell, and watch as my vinegar turns a deep crimson red.

I grin widely at Blaise, feeling triumphant and relieved. He gawks at the goblet, his dark eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

"You said that last night" he says, now picking up his own wand.

I don't reply, instead I watch as he again tries to turn his vinegar into wine.

"You worried about your parents?" he asks, his voice soft and quiet, "Harper told me" he adds.

He utters the spell again, finally watching his own vinegar turn into wine.

His questions makes my stomach gurgle. I hadn't even thought about my parents since yesterday afternoon. I've been so preoccupied with Draco, I hadn't even thought about what my Uncle said to me just under 24 hours ago.

"Should I be worried?" I ask, my voice slightly cracking.

I look up to find him still staring at his goblet of wine, his eyes crinkle when he finally speaks.

"I have a feeling somethings going to be happening soon Ast, it's a bad feeling. You heard that Montague has been sent home. Maybe that has something to do with what your Uncle said?"

My heart rate starts to quicken, panic rises so quickly I don't even have a chance to breathe through the anxiety.

"I should tell Mum and Dad what they said" I say, before I shove myself off the desk and pack up my things.

"Wait until after class Aster" Blaise hisses, his eyes flooded with worry.

"I can't, I've already waited too long".

I wait until Professor Flitwick turns his back before I quickly rush out the classroom.

My heart makes heavy thumps in my chest as I run down the corridor. Once I get to the owlery, I pull out a piece of parchment and my quill and ink and quickly scribble down everything that my Uncle said yesterday. His harsh voice echoes in my head as I write my pleas to my parents. I need them to stay safe while I figure out what my Uncle really means. I can't afford to have them send me home, so before I close the letter I remind them that Hogwarts is the safest place I can be right now.

I watch as the scrawny owl flutters past the tower, my letter attached to his leg. I feel my breath stabilise, but my heart still feels full of guilt. My impulsiveness with Draco has made me irresponsible.

I make my way back to the common room, desperate to avoid a run in with any roaming professors. As I climb through the dungeon entry way, I look up and find Draco and Crabbe lazily sprawled on one of the leather couches. Draco's robes are pooled around him, his white hair blankets his face as he reads a book. He looks so stolid sitting so still and quiet that I can't catch myself quick enough before I smile.

I'm royally fucked.


	17. More than just a hickey

**Aster's POV**

It had been days since I had last talked to Malfoy. He's been avoiding me in class and in the common room. At one point, I caught him looking at me during lunch but as soon as I could cock just even one eyebrow his gaze was down and he was out the door. 

I don't think too much about it, instead I knuckle down on my schoolwork, which had ultimately been lacking the last few weeks. 

We were all working on our Transfiguration homework as Harper gushed over Fred, who was sitting a table over from us. I look up to find her gazing lustfully after him.

"Harps, seriously go get a room ugh" I say as I throw my rolled up parchment at her face. The parchment hits her with a soft thump and I give her a small grin.

"I can't believe he's been sitting in front of me for so long and I hadn't even noticed him before now" she says, her eyes still dreamy.

I cringe as I steal a look at Blaise, his eyes narrow as he pretends to study his textbook.

"You know I saw you take that tonic this morning Ast, you planning on seeing Dean after all?" she whispers from across the table, giving me a wink.

I blanch at her forwardness. You can never know how Harper will react to things, she has a knack of being unpredictable.

I shush her as I look up and down the table, hoping that no one has heard her. Blaise looks up, confusing settling into his eyes.

"Tonic?" he asks dumbfounded.

Harper bursts into a laugh that's trapped between her lips. I roll my eyes before looking over to see if Professor McGonagall had heard. I watch as the Professor strolls down the opposite side of the hall before I hiss at Harper.

"Can you not?" I say, my tolerance for her slipping quickly.

Harper ignores my outburst and instead grins at Blaise.

"A contraceptive tonic" she whispers, quietly this time.

Blaise eyes go so wide I swear they could have popped out of his head. Blood rushes to my cheeks. I pull my tie loose, desperate for some air to reach my trachea.

"Why?" He asks, his voice wavering.

"Because she's either had sex in the last 24 hours or she's planning to" Harper mutters, her eyes scanning the room for eavesdroppers.

"For fucks sake Harper, do you have to go around and tell everyone my business?" I mutter, keeping my eyes averted from Blaise's. I don't think I can ever look him in the eyes again. This is just not something you usually disclose to your male best friend.

Sometimes I despise having to share a room with her, I just hope Pansy and Millicent also didn't see my tonic this morning. That would be a disaster.

Harper's eyes twinkle with mischief before she looks back down at her homework.

"Who?" Blaise asks.

I look up to find his eyebrows furrowed and I see a flicker of concern wash over his dark eyes.

"No one" I mutter.

Desperate for this conversation to be over, I pick up my parchment and textbook and hand over my homework to Professor McGonagall before leaving.

As I walk out of the great hall and down the corridor towards the Owlery, I feel someone come up from behind me.

"I need to talk to you"

I spin round to find Draco, his eyes grave and his voice gruff.

"Whats up?" I ask, begging my heart to slow down.

The mere sight of him is already making my body crave things it shouldn't.

"I can't do this anymore" he says, his eyes not meeting mine.

I feel my stomach drop.

"Do what?" I ask innocently.

"Don't" he grunts. He digs his hands into his robe's pockets.

"What do you want Malfoy?" I ask, anger steadily rising.

He looks up at the change in my voice.

"Look I don't have time for this" I start, "I have bigger things to worry about".

His silver eyes narrow.

"You gave me a hickey" he says before pulling down his shirt and tie and revealing a small purple bruise nicely displayed on his neck.

I can't help but smile at my little creation.

"It's not funny" he grunts. I swear I see his eyes sparkle before he looks back down at his feet.

His timidness spurs something in me and before I know it, I'm flirting with him once again.

"I can do more than give you a hickey if that's what you want" I reply, keeping my voice low.

His eyes snap back up to mine and a smile tugs on his lips.

"No," he says shaking his head at me, "They know it wasn't Parkinson.''

I furrow my eyebrows at him, confusion washes over me.

"What do you mean?"

"They think I hook up with Parkinson... I don't...I mean not anymore. But she was there and she told them it wasn't her that gave me this" He points to the hickey again.

I'm not sure how to feel about this revelation. On one hand I feel slightly bemused about his sheepish nature right now and on the other I feel a strong sense of bitterness towards Pansy.

"Just don't tell them who?" I ask, raising one eyebrow.

He pulls out his hands from his robes and twists his ring on his finger. I watch absentmindedly, as he pulls it up and down his finger.

"People will start asking questions, I can't afford to..." he lets the sentence drift off into the cool air. I stare at him, my mouth suddenly dry.

"What, can't afford to be caught fucking a half-blood?" I finally spit out.

His eyes go wide for a milli-second before they narrow. Silver flames flicker in them as his anger floats up.

"No I can't. I should never have kissed you in the first place, it's disgusting quite frankly" he spits back at me.

I scoff. "Disgusting?! You weren't saying that the other morning when your dick was in my mouth" I say.

Crippling fury brews in my chest, an anger so violent I feel as if it's going to choke me.

He pauses, his mouth pulled into a stern line.

"You keep your mouth shut half-blood" he finally says through gritted teeth.

I step towards him. I look up into his eyes, his iris's go wide and if I knew him any better I would say he's enjoying this.

"Make me" I whisper. 

As if we were both the opposite sides of a magnet we pull towards each other, my lips now inches away. I listen to his breathing as it turns shallow, as if the air around us is too thick to gulp down. 

"You know you can't stay away from me Malfoy, no matter how hard you try" I tease, letting my breath tickle his neck. 

I watch as his Adams apple bobs, his eyes watch my lips and I give him a small smirk. 

"You're not disgusting, I didn't mean that " he whispers. His half apology makes me own breath hitch in my throat. 

I keep my eyes on his, desperate to keep my dominance steady. 

"Why does this keep happening?" he murmurs, more to himself that me. 

"Why can't we just submit to it?" I implore, my voice quiet and unsure. I don't know why, but I need him, I need us more than anything right now. I need to feel good. I need to feel a lot. 

"Ok" he replies, before he crashes his lips down onto mine. 


	18. The Alcove

**Aster's POV**

The oxygen is punched straight out of my lungs as his feverish lips press against mine. Everything is filtered into white noise as he starts to mold his mouth with my mouth, his breath desperate and his tongue eager.

He wraps his hands around my waist and presses me against him, our bodies flush and warm. He pulls away from my lips and for a second I let out a small groan in his absence. Instead, he leaves small wet kisses down my neck while his hands wander up and around my school skirt. He grips my bum, a finger digging into the flesh with his ring.

"Why do girls wear these bloody stockings?" he groans between kisses, his hand trying to slide beneath the tight fabric to get to my skin.

"I won't wear them next time" I chuckle.

He doesn't flinch or pause at my mention of next time instead he brings his lips back up to mine and plants a firm and slow kiss on them.

"I don't want you wearing anything at all under that skirt next time" he says into my mouth, before he delves his tongue in and we match with both fever and desperation for each other.

It's like time and space have completely vanished as we stand pressed together, our delirium evident in our inability to let go of each other.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps echo from down the empty hallway. We both pull away, only slightly, before Draco shoves us into a dark archway. His body is so close to mine I can hear his heartbeat race as he puts a finger to his lip in an effort to keep me silent. Were both tucked into an arched alcove, Draco pressed facing myself in an effort to keep us as close to the wall as possible.

The footsteps clang against the cobblestones as they get nearer.

My chest feels like it's electrified, a buzz of adrenaline flows through my veins and before I know it I am taking this extraordinary experience to latch my lips onto Draco's neck. He shivers as my lips touch his skin and I look up to find his silver eyes wide with astonishment.

**Draco's POV**

She was toying with me, and every part of my body was reveling in it but my head was screaming at me to stop.

If someone caught us, I had no way to explain myself.

She was a tidal wave, a stampede, an earthquake, she was unbelievably intoxicating.

I let her soft lips trace their way to my mouth, but I still kept a good grasp on her to keep her flush against me. The alcove we will nestled in was big enough to hide behind but if someone came from another angle or if the person walking their way turned their head they would easily catch us.

I could feel the frosty stone wall even through my thick jumper. It didn't help that every time she would leave a soft lingering kiss on me, my whole body erupted into goosebumps.

I smirked as she stopped to look up at me, the smile that she gave me back was full of mischief and desire. It was so beautiful I had to relax my back onto the wall behind me to stop myself from toppling over.

The footsteps were now only meters away and we both froze in position. Her head nestled in my neck, my hands strapped to her back.

Professor Snape walked by, his dark robes rippling behind him.

We both held our breath until he rounded the next corner.

"Were you scared, Malfoy?" she whispers against my lips, her eyes staring into mine.

"Fuck off Flint, why would I be scared?"

"I know you don't want to be caught, especially not with me" she whispers back. Her tone doesn't change, it still sounds slightly amused.

"I don't want to be caught with anyone" I murmur back, my lips now pressing against her, the craving to taste her overriding my logic.

She kisses me back, softly as if she's savoring every lick and touch.

"I don't want people to know either" she admits as she breaks the kiss and runs her hands up my shoulders.

I run my hands down her back and to her ass, I move swiftly to cup her thighs and I lift her up to press her harshly against the opposite side of the alcove. Her small hands grab my collar as she steady's herself in my grasp.

"Then we both agree for once" I whisper before I collide my lips with hers once again.

I press her hips into the wall, before I trail my fingers to the top of her hips.

"I think I'm gonna have to tear these open" I murmur into her ear.

"Fuck it" she murmurs between moans.

Her moan sparks something in me, and before I know it I'm ripping her stockings from under her thigh, the fabric snaps and she smacks her hand to my chest.

Finally, I get to feel her soft warm skin. Her curves are so fucking perfect, I cup them in my hands and run my fingers up until they reach the rim of her underwear. I push them to the side to reveal her already soaking center.

**Asters POV**

His fingers slide to the spot that's aching for him, he runs slow torturous circles around it as the heat spreads through my body and mixes with the adrenaline coursing through my blood right now.

Are we really doing this in an empty, very public corridor?

I still can't believe he just ripped my stockings from my legs as if it was a piece of flimsy parchment.

He continues to stroke his fingers along me in slow indulgent motions, purposely teasing me. My chest rises and falls faster, as he latches his lips to my necks, matching the slow purposeful rhythm of his fingers.

I start to shift my hips against his hand, my body begging for more.

"I don't want you to make a sound" Draco murmurs between kisses, as I try and stifle my already growing moans.

His fingers finally slide up to rest on the spot that's been throbbing since he had me pinned to this wall, his other hand grips my thigh harder.

I latch my hand onto a jutted out stone in the wall, my balance becoming unsteady as he focuses on touching me.

He starts to circle his fingers against my clit and a louder moan escapes my lips.

"I told you to be quiet" he groans before giving me a soft but fierce kiss on the lips.

I swallow as I pant out a yes, miraculously, and I start to think that being around Draco is going to be a lot harder after this.

Finally, he thrusts his fingers into me and I feel my hips buckle at the sheer force. My legs tremble as I try to control the fire spurring inside of my stomach. He moves his fingers steadily and I can feel the tension build and build. He stops kissing my neck and I look up to him watching me, his lips in a smirk and his eyes determined.

I feel my eyes roll back into my head as he thrusts deeper. Again, I let out a small moan but I clamp my lips together before he can chastise me once again. I look up to him, his eyes glittering with triumph.

I kiss him, needing to be closer. As our tongues dance and our hot pants mix together, he continues to thrust his fingers into me, the rhythm getting faster and harder. My other hand that's gripped onto his back claws into his shoulder blades and I feel him quiver underneath my touch.

I start to feel intense electrified shivers in my stomach and it slowly spread outwards.

"I'm about to..." I murmur between breaths. I don't need to finish my sentence, its like he can read my body because the next thing I know he's changing his rhythm and instead he drags out his fingers slowly and then pushes them into me again hitting the right spot, the force making my flinch into the stone wall behind me. He does it again, and again, until I finally cum. The cascading bliss rippling through my body.

I rest my head onto the hard stone wall behind me as I come down from my orgasm. Draco pulls his fingers out and carefully releases my thighs. He doesn't step away, instead he puts one hand on the wall behind, trapping me. I look up, his muscled arm to my left and the other grabbing my waist.

"We're going to have to practice being quiet Aster" he whispers in my ear. I breathe in deeply, inhaling a familiar and comforting scent of peppermint.

He kisses my neck as I catch my breath, and I feel him sucking deeply. I look down to find a boastfully large hickey, high up on my neck that would be impossible to hide.

"Seriously?" I groan, giving him a look of exasperation.

He grins.

"You're mine now Aster". He says, his silver eyes serious.


	19. The Empty Corridor

**Asters POV**

The air feels different this time. The energy around us isn't crackling with unease and apprehension like last time, but instead it feels thicker, it's not suffocating but instead feels comforting.

Draco stands his arms idling at his sides, there's an awkwardness to his posture but his face seems softer and more relaxed than usual.

"You've changed your mind then?" I ask, trying to keep the pride from escaping my voice.

He looks softly at me, his lips in a stern line.

He moves his hand up to his neck, tension ripples through his shoulders.

"Look Flint..." he starts, his words roughly mumbled, " I obviously....like you" he coughs out.

I look at him dumbfounded.

_Never thought I would hear Draco Malfoy say that out loud._

"It's just people can't know, if they found out..." he grips his neck tighter and tilts his head. The small movement seems sweet but my heart drops at his admission.

"People would think less of you" I mumble.

"I truly don't give a fuck about what people think of me" his voice raises. I cock my eyebrow at his lie.

He notices my apprehension, "I mean I care about what my family thinks but that's because I have no choice" he mumbles, his voice grows uneven and his eyes drop to the floor.

"So because I'm a halfblood and your family are pureblood we cant even be friends? I'm sure half of your mates are halfblood somewhere down the line" I grumble, trying to repress the anger that's sizzling in my stomach.

"It's not just because you're a halfblood" he mumbles, this time so quietly I barely catch his soft words.

"Why then?" I ask, curiosity replacing my anger.

He removes his hands from his neck and instead fiddles with his ring again.

"Look I better go" he says, finally looking up at me.

I furrow my eyebrows at his dismissal.

"I want to see you again" he says, his eyes confidently locked on mine. I feel goosebumps rise on my arms. How can this boy make me feel so many emotions in just a few minutes?

I don't give him an answer. I'm not sure how I feel about this new level of...friendship. I'm not used to talking to him so seriously.

"Meet me in the common room at midnight?" he asks.

I cock an eyebrow at him again, his vanity amusing me more than anything.

I watch as a corner of his lip tilts upward, his bright eyes twinkle slightly.

I can't help myself. As soon as I see that small light in his eyes, I feel my knees go weak and my stomach tighten.

I roll my eyes in answer.

"I'm taking that as a yes" he says, a full grin now displayed on his proud face.

I chuckle under my breath before he gives me a wink and turns around. I watch as he confidently struts away from me, his tight white shirt moving with his broad muscles on his back. I find myself gaping and I shut my mouth closed, embarrassed by my own infatuation.

Before I can collect myself and fix my ripped stockings that currently have a gaping hole on the inside of one of my thighs, I hear more steps. This time lighter and hurried. I look back into the direction of where Draco went but the echo's come from the other direction.

I shuffle back into the alcove myself and Draco were just nestled in. I press myself against the cool stones and try to keep hidden.

Harper comes into view, her hurried steps rattling against the cobblestones, her dark robes are wrapped tightly around her and before I step out and call her over, I look at her face. Her upturned eyes are dark and focused, and a part of me stops from revealing myself and instead I watch as she rushes past. I notice the absence of the bounce in her step and her eyes seem more furrowed and worried than focused. She doesn't see me, instead she looks round a corner and her steps pick up and she's gone.

I silently take after her, keeping my steps soft and quiet. She's half way down the next dark corridor when I turn the corner. The corridor seems more deserted than the one Draco and myself were in, this part of the castle obviously empty or barely used due to the cobwebs settled in the sconces. The only light comes from the dusty arched windows on one side, and I have to squint my eyes to spy Harper growing smaller up the long hallway.

It's too quiet to run after her, she would hear me. I don't know why I'm not just running up to her and asking her where she's going. An uneasy feeling sparked in my stomach when I saw her eyes. Her normally kind cheeky eyes. This wasn't Harper, Harper wouldn't sneak around in dark corridors on her own. Maybe with a boy, but not on her own and acting like this.

If I didn't feel so cold and unsure in this empty hallway I would have laughed at the irony that I was the one sneaking around with a boy and it wasn't Harper for once.

I wait until she turns the next corner, going deeper into the castle this time. I pick my pace up careful to keep my steps quiet still. I peer around the corner, expecting to see Harper on the opposite end of the corner but it's empty. This corridor is lit by a single sconce but I hear no steps. All I see is the flicker of the flame from the scone on the stone floor.

I consider searching the few doors lining the hallway but the uneasiness lingers. Instead, I decide to just be upfront and ask Harper later.

I find Blaise in the common room, his head in a book. His lanky legs take up most of the leather couch so I shove them off before plopping myself onto the soft leather.

"Have you seen Harper?" I ask, keeping my tone neutral.

He lifts his head up and I find his chestnut brown eyes tired and droopy.

"Nope" he says before his eyes drop back down to his book.

I pick myself up onto my knees and face him on the couch, plucking his book out of his hands, I give him a cheeky grin.

"Hey!" he cries, but his eyes gleam under the dimness that was there before.

"Stop being so gloomy" I complain, giving him a mocking pout.

I watch as the corner of his lips turn upwards and a chuckle escapes his lips.

I laugh in response, grateful for the lighthearted playfulness. Today was turning too serious for my liking, first Draco and now Harper. I needed a reprieve.

He leans over to me and grabs his book from my hands.

"Stop" he groans, but his face seems lighter than before.

"Let's play exploding snap before we have to go back to class" I grin.

I reach over his shoulder to the small side table with the pile of games. I have to strain myself to climb over his tall frame but Blaise ignores me, his head back in his book and my arm near his face.

I look up to find Draco staring at me from across the room, his eyes blazingly mad.

I pick up the pack of cards and climb back to my seat, Blaise still oblivious. Then it clicks. Draco was jealous. I had just climbed over Blaise and from his position, it clearly looked like I was lying on top of Blaise, in quite an intimate way.

I grin to myself. I could get used to this.


	20. The Common Room

**Draco's POV**

Aster lying over Blaise like that sent me into a fury I didn't know I was capable of. One minute I was standing on the opposite side of the common room listening to Goyle drone on about lunch and the next minute I was storming out. I thought about ripping my wand from my pocket and jinxing him so that Aster would never be able to look at his ugly head again but I stopped before I exposed myself and decided that turning away and stewing in my own anger would be best. I mean, it was what I usually did anyway.

This time, it was a different sort of anger. It wasn't derived from irritation or anxiety. It felt like my heart was being pulled in every direction possible in my chest. The sight of her that close to another boy made me want to throw myself off the top of the astronomy tower.

She saw me see her. Her big eyes were wide and confused. I turned away as soon as she sat back down next to him, not sure if I could stomach any other interaction between the two.

Something between us changed today, it wasn't just playful anymore. It felt real, it felt odd. I didn't know what to think about it, I was still just as confused as before.

**Aster's POV**

Blaise continued to tragically lose game after game of exploding snap, before Harper finally came trapezing through the portrait door with her usual bouncing steps.

The shock of seeing her in a completely different mood to before washes over me before I school my face into a look of boredom.

"Where ya been Harps?" I ask, trying to be nonchalant while scanning my cards.

She pops herself down in front of the pile of cards in the middle of Blaise and myself.

"Had detention with Snape" she mutters.

I look up and find her staring blankly at the pile of cards. She notices my stare and immediately shifts her features to a sort of pleasant but Harper-esque way. All bright smiles and crinkled eyes. It would describe why she was in that part of the castle as Snape had just walked by Draco and I moments before but his office wasn't in that direction?

"Why did you have detention?" Blaise asks for me.

"Didn't do his homework" she mumbles, before shifting her legs underneath her.

"We did the homework the other night?" I question her.

Her eyes shift only slightly, and my mind wanders back to when Blaise mentioned her odd behaviour lately. Why hadn't I remembered to ask her? Before I do get to ask if she's ok, she quickly asks about my parents.

"Did you hear back from your mum?" she asks, her small fingers twiddling with a rogue card.

"Not yet, it's been days since I sent them that letter"  
I try to sound nonplussed but my anxiety about my parents has been slowly building in my chest over the last few days. They probably write to me once a week, but I would have thought to have heard from them if I sent them such an urgent and anxiety-riddled letter.

"I'll send them another if I don't get a reply tomorrow" I add. Harper nods, her eyes still glued to the card in her fingers.

"Have you heard anything around the school?" I ask Harper.

She chirps up at the sound of relaying gossip.

"Montague was apparently sent home because his mum is sick" she says, her voice hushed, "but I think it's more than that. I heard his dad was running from the dark lord and his mum got caught in the crossfire".

I look up at her, my eyes wide in shock. Harper looks deviant but not happy, like she thrives on this type of gossip.

"That can't be true," Blaise replies, his tone serious but I catch a hint of concern.

"I'm sure that's just gossip" I say, not completely convincing myself as the words come out of my mouth.

"Well I never give up my sources but it sounds legit" she whispers.

I never understood how Harper gets anyone and everyone to open up to her. I always found it so hard to talk to people so openly but with her she makes it so easy to fall into her step and the next thing you know you're telling her your life story. She could even get the Slytherin purebloods to talk when she got them on their own.

I also never asked where she heard gossip from, it always ended badly.

"We have class in 5 minutes" Blaise announces, shuffling up the cards and pushing them neatly into the box.

"I'll get your bag from the room Harper" I say, pushing myself up and turning towards the dorm rooms. As I turn I notice the absence of her robe and ultimately a small smudge of dirt on her collar.  
"Where did your robe go? You had it on at lunch" I say. She was wearing it when she walked past me earlier. I wasn't wearing mine because I ditched it in my room with my books before lunch but I Harper always wears hers, she's forever complaining about the cold.

Harper's eyes dart down as if not even realising she wasn't wearing them.

"Um oh shit, I must have left them in the great hall at lunch" she says, her eyebrows furrowed. I catch a waver in her voice, something very unusual for her.  
She was definitely wearing it after lunch. What was she hiding? Before I can ask her, she marches off towards the portrait door.

"Can you meet me in class with my books? I'm just going to go grab my robe" she says before she hurries out.

I look up at Blaise, he's completely oblivious to the interaction that just happened.

"What?" he asks.

"I have to tell you something" I reply, "Give me one minute to grab our books".

I end up sprinting towards my room and slinging our books bags on my shoulder, causing the heavy textbooks to thump against my back.

I find Blaise, his feet impatiently tapping at the portrait door.

And as we hurry towards class, I tell him everything about Harper and the empty corridor.

**Draco's POV**

My last class was abysmal and all I could think about was Aster. She was like a plague on my mind.  
I ended up going to my room straight after dinner. I tried so hard not to steal glances at her at dinner but I consistently found my eyes wandering in her direction.

I could see the hickey I left on her neck poking through her collar. She was lucky her collar reached up that high, and I was sure she had used makeup on it to make it look less inconspicuous. She was chatting to Bainbridge and Zabini and I tried incredibly hard not to look so tense when she laughed with him at some joke that Weasley kid had bellowed.

I had to stay in my room until midnight, I couldn't stand making idle chit chat with the guys and I definitely couldn't face Pansy. I hadn't seen her much since the other day when she saw the hickey.

My shoulders were starting to ache from the tension I was holding. I couldn't relax until I saw Aster. I wasn't sure if she would actually meet me, not after our conversation today. I had no idea why I even said anything in the first place. I truly didn't care that she was a halfblood, but I know the others would and before I could control the gossip it would reach my father and then I would be done for. My father had certain plans for me that not even I was fully undisclosed of.

It was ten minutes until midnight and I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to get lost in her voice, in her touch.

Luckily no one was in the common room, even the large fireplace was dimmer than usual.

I decided to sit in the furthest corner from the dorm rooms, just in case someone does wander in.  
She appears at the top of the small stairway leading down to the common room at exactly midnight. I can't help my chuckle softly at her punctuality.  
She's wearing what looks like pyjamas, bubblegum pink striped trousers with a tight pink vest.

"Aren't you cold?" I ask when she sits herself down next to me on the couch. It's so strange being this close to her and being so...normal.

"Nope" she says simply, giving me a shy grin.

"C'm here" I mumble, gesturing to my lap.

**Aster's POV**

He gestures to his lap and I feel something tumble in my stomach.

I stand up and climb myself over him, letting my knees sink into the couch on either side of his hips. I lower myself down and wrap my arms around his neck. The intimacy and the slowness of the act makes me shiver, and I feel a little nervous from it all.

He gives me a reassuring grin and he runs his soft hands up my thighs and to my hips.

"I like your pyjamas" he mumbles.

I chuckle under my breath, "are these your pyjamas?" I ask him, pulling at his black shirt. He's also wearing black trackies and I wonder if he has any other colour in his wardrobe.

"Guess so" he mumbles, his fingers tracing small circles on a bare piece of skin near my hip. The touch stirs something in me and I wiggle in response.  
He raises his eyebrows at the wiggle but doesn't comment.

"I don't really wear pyjamas, perks of having a room to yourself, get to sleep naked" he shrugs.

"Mmm" I mumble as he moves his hands further up and under my vest. They reach the bottom of my breasts, his warm fingers sweeping underneath them before moving to my back.

"I noticed you tried to cover up that hickey I gave you" he mumbles. His eyes travel to my neck.

"You will be sorry to hear this but you can't win with me Malfoy" I say quietly, my mind distracted by his wandering hands.

"I'll just have to put it higher next time" he replies, his voice raspy.

His voice triggers something in my stomach and I feel my body move against his hips. His erection digs into my thigh. I move closer to him, hungry for more.

Instead of the rushed touches and the desperate kisses, everything is so slow and purposeful this time. The pressure builds in my stomach, the need for a release overriding my common sense, I press my lips firmly onto his, and beg for his tongue.  
He opens up, his tongue firmly sweeping across mine. My hands grapple with his hair as he pulls me closer to him, our chests touching and our breaths more ragged. Our movements are still slow but there's an intensity to them that always seems to be beneath every interaction between us.

We're so lost in each others touch that when we hear the portrait door swing open I have to bite my lip from squealing in shock. Draco grabs my back and swings me onto the couch so that he's lying flat on top of me. He's pushing himself up with his hands on either side of my chest so that he doesn't completely squash me but his face is millimeters away from mine. He's so close, I can feel his hot breath on my neck.

His eyes are wide but focused as he hovers above me. He's looking in the direction of the sound, footsteps and the swish of robes float from the other side of the couch. I'm suddenly grateful that we chose the only couch that can't be seen at first glance.

We listen to the student climb the few steps to the dormitories and finally, Draco looks back down at me.

"Seems like we're destined to be caught" he grins.


	21. Slow Hands

**Asters POV**

"I would very much like to continue this but I feel that it wouldn't be wise to in public" Draco murmurs into my neck. His words mean one thing but the kisses he was leaving down my neck mean another.

"It would be extremely unwise" I say between laboured breaths as he runs his hands over my breasts.

The tension was thick but I knew that we shouldn't be doing this here.

"Can we go to your room?" I whisper nervously.

He looks up into my eyes, his face soft and beaming.

"It would be my pleasure" he says before he lifts himself off me, giving me his hand and pulling me up.

I tell him to go before me, cautious of anyone seeing us together. We weren't even allowed to be out of our rooms at this time, so if the wrong student saw us we would be in deep deep trouble, maybe even expelled.

I waited a few minutes before following and I made sure my steps were soft and silent as I walked through the boys hallways. He had left his door partially open, so I slipped in between the gap and closed the door gently behind me. I hadn't brought my wand so I looked over at Draco, who was leaning against his bed post, quite suavely may I add. I motioned for his wand.

He picked his wand up and locked the door behind me.

"I would rather not be disturbed this time, I want your complete and utter attention" I say, keeping my voice low and close.

He gives me a smirk, his lips pulled up to one corner. I reciprocate before looping my arms around his neck. 

We kiss fiercely, our bodies pushed up against each other. His hands explore, finding the curves in my back, sending sparks and shivers up my spine.

I find myself thinking about last time I was here, how desperate and forbidden it was between us. This time it feels just intense but more familiar, like we've found a rhythm with each other. His hands are soft and gentle and I savour his kisses more than last time, allowing myself to get drunk under his touch.

Being truly alone with him has made me slow down. I don't rush and I can tell he feels the same. His kisses get deeper as his hands thumble closer to my underwear, he slips his fingers into my pyjamas and traces the top edge of my underwear. I don't chide him for his teasing, instead I allow him.

He runs his fingers along the edge of the bottom of my underwear, slightly pulling them a side and letting himself touch the sensitive skin beneath them. I buckle into his touch, my hormones going into overdrive.

He stops kissing me, leaving my mouth and instead kissing the bottom of my ear.

"I want to savour you" he whispers hotly into my ear.

I can't speak, and for a split second I wonder if he's secretly made me drink some sort of love potion.

I'm under his spell.

He starts to leave kisses down my neck and on to my shoulders. He removes his hands from my underwear and I have to stop myself from sighing as his touch leaves me. Instead he pulls down a strap of my pyjama top, gently letting his fingers tickle my collar bone. I claw my hands onto his own shoulder and let my head tip slightly back as I let my body feel every touch he leaves.

He kisses my collar bone, and softly kisses lower until he reaches the top of my breast.

"They're so fucking perfect..so full and soft" he murmurs between kisses, his lips leaving wet kisses as he pulls my top down further and cups my breast in his hand. I grip my fingers harder into his broad shoulders and gasp as he sucks my nipple with his soft mouth. He repeats the act with my other breast, my top now awkwardly folded at my waist.

I let my own hands wander down his torso and to the bottom of his shirt. I bury my hands underneath it and run them up his warm stomach and to his chest.

His skin is so warm and all I want is my bare skin against his.

Instead he steps forward, leading me backwards to his bed. I try to not disturb the moment by tripping over my own feet. He spins me around, _its starting to look like he likes spinning me around_ , and he sits himself on the edge of the bed. I stand between his knees, and look down at him. His blonde hair dangling slightly in front of his eyes looking slightly dazed.

He cups my bum and pulls me closer to him. His fingers graze the top of my pyjama bottoms until they lightly lift them up.

"Can I?" He asks.

I give him a nod.

He pulls my pyjamas down, leaving me standing in just my pyjama top and underwear.

He doesn't talk as he pulls his own tracksuit pants, lifting his bum off the bed and yanking them off his legs so he's only sitting in his briefs. I cock my eyebrow.

"I want you on top of me this time" he smirks, "but I'll need these off as well" he picks at the thin material of my underwear and tugs.

I pull my underwear down, as well as the rolled pyjama top at my hips.

His fingers trace the crease between my thighs and pelvis, making me shiver under his touch.

I climb on top of him, letting my knees sink into the soft covers beneath him. I sit down on his thighs, and start to pull his own underwear down, letting his hard erection slip out.

"I was totally irresponsible before and forgot to ask if you were...umm...on contraception" he asks timidly, his eyes soft.

I give him a small smile.

"Yes I take a tonic every morning" I answer before I give him small kisses on his neck.

I can feel the tension from his shoulder disappear and I chuckle.

"You definitely should have asked me that sooner"

To be completely honest, I hadn't even thought about it last time. I taken a tonic straight away the next morning but Draco was the first person I had slept without using contraception before.

His hands rest themselves on my hips and he pulls me closer, my leg hitting his hardness.

"It's a poor excuse but you see I had the hottest girl in my room and she was naked and I wasn't thinking straight" he mumbles.

I roll my eyes at his attempt to flatter me.

"I could easily never speak to you again because of that" I mumble between kisses.

"But alas here we are" he chuckles before his fingers drift to my pelvis and to my center.

He drags his forefinger across my clit and soaking entrance giving my body a jolt of anticipation.

"I want to feel you slowly" he murmurs in my ear before giving it a kiss.

I feel his hips shift under me, and my body quivers as I feel his tip slide against my folds. He edges closer to me, lifting to meet me. My body is so tense, I can feel my muscles ache.

His hands are running through my hair as he slides himself into me fully. I let out a groan as I feel myself clamp around him, the pressure sending my body into a state of euphoria. His hands grip onto my hips, his solid silver ring digging into my hip bone.

I buckle against his hips, urging for him to go deeper.

"Slow" he moans before rocking my hips slowly against him. I let him guide me, my body in euphoric agony as he drags out the build up. He leaves one hand on my hip and brings the other to my cheek.

"Fuck Flint, I'm inside of you and I still want more" he says before he captures my bottom lip with his lips and sucks hard.

I need more as well.

I roll my hips again hoping to get closer.

Suddenly, he thrusts his hips harsh into me and I feel him hit the back of my cervix. I cry out in pleasure and dig my nails into his back. He slowly pulls out and then thrusts himself into me again harder. I kiss him harder, hoping my desperate kisses communicate to him that I want him to thrust deeper. As if we just one mind, he pulls back again and grabs my hips so harshly I whimper as his nails pierce my flesh. He pushes into me, his hands making sure my hips stay still so he can get as much impact as he can.

My moan is so loud I bite my lip in shock. I look into his silver eyes and find them twinkling with satisfaction.

"Moan louder" he whispers, a smirk growing on his lips.

I feel my cheeks grow hot but I don't deprive him of his wish.

This time, I don't stifle my moans as he continues to bury himself in me. My thighs slapping against his, my hands scratching his back.

I forget where we are, who we are and what we are. It's just me and him and this euphoric moment.

He stares into my eyes, the silver flames appearing beneath his irises.

"You are so fucking unbelievable" he murmurs so quietly I question my own hearing.

His eyes run down my naked body and to us moving in and out of each other. The look on his face is enough to drive me over the edge.

And so that's what happens. I instantaneously feel every nerve on my body tingle and freeze while the orgasm rolls through me. I feel my body buckle inwards as the pressure tears through my stomach. He keeps the rhythm up, and I can tell by the heat and the ferocity in his thrusts that he's close.

"Cum Draco..."I murmur at his lips, "I want my name dripping from your lips when you cum inside me," I add.

He may have had me on his lap but I wanted to be in control while he finally came.

His lips part slightly as I speak the words into his hot lips. His eyes wide and lust-filled. Hazily, he murmurs my name.

"Louder" I order.

I pull myself off his lap slowly but not letting him slip out. Just enough to create a different friction against the two of us. Then I slowly lower myself back down, dragging the moment out.

"Fucking hell" he murmurs before he grips my hips harder and then slams himself into my hips.

I feel his body quiver underneath me.

I grab his chin and lift it up to get his full attention.

"Say my name" I order slightly louder.

"Aster" he cries, my name spilling from his lips, agonizingly loud.

His warmth fills me as he shivers and tenses underneath me. I let myself collapse into his shoulders, my body spent, my ego proud.

I pick my head up and lazily kiss him, his tongue softly working with mine.

"I like the taste of my name on your lips" I whisper into his mouth.

"Well you are pretty fucking delicious" he replies, a smile growing in between our kisses.


	22. 1:11am

**Aster's POV**  
I peel my body off his, my skin clammy and damp.

I pick my clothes off the floor and go to pull my underwear on. I can feel Draco's stare linger on my body and a wave of confidence washes over me.

"You can stay" he mutters from the bed. I look over to find him pulling his own underwear on. I watch him as he climbs further up the bed and rest his head on the back of his headboard.

I don't know what to say. I don't know how to be around him like this.

"I mean you don't have to," he mumbles, his eyes searching my face.

I catch a flash of anxiety in his face as he waits for my answer and before I know it I'm slipping on my pyjama's and perching myself awkwardly on the end of the bed, facing him with my legs crossed underneath me.

I look at the time on a clock on his bedside table. 1:11am.

How did it get so late?

Suddenly, a jolt of panic courses through my body.

"Fuck, its 1am" I curse.

He looks over to his clock as well.

"Um, we were rather loud" I mumble awkwardly.

He flicks his eyes up to me, panic flashes through them as he looks over to his door.

"Shit" he mumbles, his lips pulled into a stern line.

"Probably should have used a silencing charm on the door" I tease trying to ignore my heart beat harshly in my ribcage.

"Yeah a bit late for that though" he grumbles, his tone laced with irritation.

"Sorry, my fault" I chirp, hoping to ease his temper with some banter.

I wait for him to look back at me, hoping he takes my banter and rides with it. I don't think I could handle him being angry at me right now.

"S'okay" he mumbles back, finally glancing at me.

"I can leave" I mutter, the atmosphere feels slightly different.

He blinks at me.

"No" he says quietly but surely.

I cock my eyebrow at him. He's too hard to read right now.

"I mean don't leave, I don't care if anyone heard, I'll just deny it" he says, his eyes flickering back towards the door. He doesn't sound convinced but I let it slide.

I fiddle with his bedsheets nervously, letting my hair fall over my face.

"You said they thought it was Pansy before?" I ask, my voice low and unsure.

I can feel my cheeks turn pink, so I fiddle with the thick bed sheets, not brave enough to look at him.

He gulps.

"Uh yeah, sorry" he mumbles.

I look up to find him looking just as awkward as I feel.

"I mean, I knew you dated her last year but I didn't realise you were still seeing her" I say.

I don't know why I'm talking about Pansy of all people. I shouldn't care about his past relationships.

"I'm not seeing her anymore," he says, his tone serious.

"Ok" I mumble, slightly amused by his defiance.

"Are you seeing anyone else?" he asks.

"Uh no" I mumble back.

_We just had sex for crying out loud, why is a simple conversation so awkward for us._

I decide to move myself closer to him. He's sprawled out on his bed, his legs crossed in front of him. I shuffle myself next to him, closer to his hips this time but still facing his him leaning against his bedhead.

"I'm not your first am I?" he asks.

The question surprises me, and I find myself gaping at him.

"Um no" I answer.

I'm not sure if he's surprised at my answer or relieved, he keeps his face neutral. I watch as he bites his bottom lip, his eyes thinking.

"I've only been with one other person though" I say, the admission leaving my lips before I can catch it.

His eyes slightly widen but he nods his head.

"Me too" he admits.

I feel my cheeks grow hotter. I feel laughter bubbling in my throat as I take in the conversation we're having.

He notices my smile hiding beneath my clenched teeth.

Before I know it, a chuckle escapes his lips and I look up astounded. His eyes are glittering and I can't help but join in on the laughter.

His laugh is rough and raspy, and I feel my nerves tingle in response.

We both laugh at our awkwardness, and I feel the tension dissolve. I feel a sudden sense of reassurance, it felt warm and comforting and unlike anything I had felt before.

I finally relax and place my arms behind me to lean on to.

"I always thought you were seeing Zabini to be honest" he says.

I laugh at that.

"No way! He's more of a brother to me than anything" I reply.

He smiles at me and nods, before he places his arms behind his head, his bare arms flex in the light of the scones above his bed. I can't help but stare at the muscles bulging behind him. I gulp.

"Like what you see, Flint?" he interrupts.

I roll my eyes at him.

"As if you don't perv on me all the time" I scoff.

"Touché" he replies, giving me a handsome smirk.

"You gotta make it not so obvious around people" I tease, giving him a wink.

This time he rolls his eyes at me.

"You know I'm pretty sure Montague has a crush on me" I say, baiting him.

"You would eat Montague alive" he mutters, his eyes dropping to his hands.

I snicker, "True".

"You don't like Montague do you?" he asks, he removes one hand from behind him and starts to fiddle with his ring.

I narrow my eyes, "no" I scoff.

I'm starting to enjoy his small jealous tendencies.

"What is with you and that ring?" I ask, watching him spin it around his ring finger.

"Its just a stupid family ring, I've always worn it" he mutters.

I lean over and grab his hand, pulling it towards me and having a good look at it.

"You know it's hot when guys wear rings" I mutter.

I look up and watch as his own cheeks go a slight satisfying pink.

I pull the ring off his finger to get a better look. It has a solid silver thick band with a snake coiled on the front. I slip it onto my own finger, its miles too big so I try it on my thumb.

"Looks good on me" I joke, giving him a grin.

He flicks his eyebrows up in amusement.

"I don't have a family ring" I say to him, as I twist the ring around my thumb.

"You do. Marcus had one" he replies, his gaze still on his ring on my thumb.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's similar to that one actually" he nods to his own ring.

"I guess I would never get one. The Flints don't exactly call me as one of their own" I admit to him.

He looks at me, an odd expression on his face.

"You don't want to know that family," he mutters.

"Why?" I ask, leaving the ring on my thumb.

"Just bad news" he murmurs.

I narrow my eyes at him slightly, trying to gauge his meaning..

"You can sleep here if you want, but don't blame me if you get caught" he quips, the flirting tone returning to his voice.

"I'm not getting expelled for you Draco Malfoy" I reply, giving him a smirk.

I pick myself off the bed, and watch as Draco himself picks up his wand from his bed side table and walks over to the door. Muttering the unlocking spell, he quietly opens the door and pops his head outside.

"All Clear Flint" he says, giving me a small smile.

"Thanks" I smile back.

I try and slip past him and the door frame but he grabs my waist before I leave.

"You didn't say goodnight" he murmurs into my mouth, before pressing his lips firmly against mine. Our mouths open simultaneously, his tongue swiping over mine, making my knees nearly buckle. I grasp onto his chest to keep myself up and return the kiss with the same intimacy.

He kisses me deeply one last time before letting go of my hips and catching my bottom lip softly between his lips.

"Goodnight Aster" he murmurs lightly as his lips leave mine.

"Goodnight Draco" I reply, looking up into his eyes and giving him a smile that would make lesser men fall.


	23. The unexpected partner

**Draco's POV**

I dreamt of honeyed skin and snow white petalled vines.

It was odd being so enthralled by someone's touch, It was like I was being pulled to her throughout the day. I found myself sitting closer to her at meal times, just close enough to hear her laugh but far enough away that no one would notice. It was nice having something good to myself. Something to be excited about.

I tried not to delve too deep into my thoughts about her. That was dangerous territory I wasn't ready to dive into yet, or any time soon.

Last night I wanted to see her though, truly experience her and feel her. She did not disappoint, she was everything and more.

I was awakened from my thoughts, to a very ugly and boisterous Goyle, shoving me into a handful of younger students gathering outside Potions class.

"Dude wake up"

I snarl at him as he pushes through the crowd and into the class. I was keen to get inside and see Aster, my first class with her today. I couldn't talk to her like I wanted to but at least I could see her, maybe tease her a little. Watch that little smirk grow on her pretty freckled face.

I pull my stool up to the table, opposite two empty stools waiting for Aster and Bainbridge.

Two boiling cauldrons stand on either side of the long table, a sour smell drifting in waves from them both.

Aster finally walks in, her olive skin flushed, her dark hair tumbled long down her back in waves. I watch as she looks around the class, her expression stern. Bainbridge doesn't follow her, and I wonder if that's who she's looking for. Aster sits down, plonking her textbooks onto the table in front of her before she looks up. Her green eyes find mine. She quickly looks back down at her textbook but not before I spy a small smirk hiding in the corner of her mouth.

Bainbridge doesn't turn up to class, and I can feel Aster's tension from across the room. I watch as she scribbles mindlessly with her quill, her teeth gritted, her round cheeks puffed.

Professor Slughorn starts the class, mumbling about a potion we were to concoct today, the boiling remnants from the first batch sizzling on our tables. Without delay, students start to partner up, and I realise begrudgingly that Crabbe and Goyle have claimed the cauldron nearest to me, leaving me to find myself a new partner and cauldron. Of course, the only other student in the room without a partner is Aster. Are the gods working against me or are they in my favour today?

I awkwardly hover to her side of the table, telling Crabbe and Goyle to go fuck themselves in the process.

"Don't want to be my partner Malfoy?" She greets me, her eyes shimmering. She grabs her textbook and props it up on the brass stand in front of her.

"Wouldn't say that" I mumble, irritated by the turn of events.

I've wanted to be this close to her all day but now, I feel incredibly vulnerable. 

She grins while she sets up today's potions ingredients, sorting and organising them. That's when I notice my ring still on her thumb. A thrill washes over me.

"Nice ring" I mumble quietly, busying myself with my own notebook.

Her hand quickly covers the ring in question, her eyes darting to me.

"Sorry, I forgot." she stammers, pulling the ring off her thumb and handing it to my under the desk.

I chuckle at her twitchiness.

"It's ok. Nobody saw you wear it right?" I ask quietly, suddenly very aware that we could easily have been caught. Luckily, only a few people can probably identify that the ring is mine.

"No, I had a free period this morning and I haven't been able to find Harper anywhere" she stutters, her flustered state making her cheeks go a rosy red.

I smile at my textbook, and slip the ring back onto my finger under the table.

I've been in such a daze this morning, I didn't even notice it was gone.

"Maybe she's sick?" I utter, picking up a phial of pale pink liquid.

"Give me that," Aster demands, snatching the phial out of my hands. I give her a disgruntled look.

"She's not sick, she wasn't in bed this morning and I checked the infirmary" she murmurs, her tone fretful.

I pick up the first ingredient, placing it on the small chopping board.

"Let me do it" Aster grumbles, pushing me aside with her hip. If her tone wasn't so serious, I would have relished in the physical touch but instead I silently watch as she chops up the Fluxweed into small slithers.

"Are you ok?" I whisper.

She looks up at me, her eyes dim and weary, the twinkle long gone.

"I'm fine" she says softly, giving me a small smile before turning back to her work.

"I'll keep an eye out for Bainbridge," I murmur.

She looks up, her eyes a bit softer than before.

"You wanna help me?" she asks, a slight tease in her tone.

We both work quietly. I steal small glances at her when she's busy focused, her eyes narrowed and crinkled, her teeth biting her bottom lip. She has chubby cheeks, but they just make her features softer. I try to not stare for too long, worried that the boys across the table catch me.

She's good at potions, but I don't let her have complete control. She surprisingly lets me help her, both of us sharing the tasks and helping each other with the instructions. I try and keep my tone serious and bored, but everyone now and then I can't help but chuckle at her attempts at jokes.

**Aster's POV**

Professor Slughorn commends our finished result. I'm completely surprised at how well we have both worked together.

"Well done Malfoy, maybe you're not so useless after all" I tease.

He scoffs but doesn't reply. I know he's putting on an act in front of everyone.

I pack up our stuff once Slughorn dismisses us, letting Draco note down a few extra things in his notebook. He's rather clever for someone that consistently bullies when someone answers a question correctly. I know that potions is one of his best subjects, but I never realised he was naturally smart and critical with his thinking. I didn't want to admit it but I was quite impressed.

My body tenses when he packs away his own belongings, waiting for him to walk away without a word.

"I'll see you around?" he hesitates.

I look up to find him busying himself with his book bag.

I smirk, amused at his strained voice and awkwardness.

I pick up my own bag and sling it over my shoulder before I walk up next to him. I stand close enough that I can smell his strong familiar scent of peppermint. But I keep my gaze forward, so as to not make it obvious I'm talking to him.

"You may not have realised but I'm not wearing stockings today and that's not all I'm not wearing" I whisper into his ear, referring to the time he completely ruined my last pair of stockings. I watch at the corner of my eyes as his pale cheeks go a bright red and chuckle smugly before I walk out.

I spend the rest of the afternoon, searching for Harper between classes with no luck. I find Blaise at lunch, stuffing his face with a sandwich in the Great Hall.

"Have you seen Harper?" I ask, as I slide onto the bench next to him.

He shakes his head in response, his mouth full.

"I haven't seen her all morning, she didn't turn up to class" I mumble.

Blaise narrows his eyes.

"I saw her this morning" he finally says after a swallow.

"Where?" i demand.

"On my way to Herbology"

"Did she seem ok?"

"Yeah..." he mumbles, taking a sip from his goblet, "she seemed like she was in a rush but she said hi".

I frown. Why was Harper acting so weird lately?

"Has she said anything to you lately?" I ask.

"What do you mean?"

"Like how I saw her acting weirdly the other day in that random corridor. And then the other day when she forgot her robe? And now she's missed Potions twice in the last few weeks. She never misses class" I rant, my words tumbling from my mouth.

Blaise shakes his head at my rambling.

"Don't worry too much about it. We can just ask her." he says before diving back into his sandwich.

I pick up an apple from a bowl closest to me and bite into it, my appetite lacking from my nerves.

"Hey Ast?" Blaise starts.

"Yeah" I mumble between crunches.

"Is that a hickey?" he asks.

I nearly spit out my apple in surprise. My hand goes straight to my neck. I must have forgotten to cover it up with make up this morning. 

Blaise's dark eyes are shining with amusement, his lips curled into a smirk.

"Nope, just a bruise" I answer poorly.

He laughs.

"I know you've been seeing someone. Just because Harper hasn't been around to question you doesn't mean your getting away with it" he smirks.

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"I saw you staring at Malfoy on the weekend. You've been hooking up with him haven't you?" His tone is light and surprisingly not tense. He's not accusing me, he's just asking.

I nod lightly.

He smiles, his eyes glittering with humour.

"Harper's going to love this" he mutters before biting into his sandwich again.

"Don't tell her...not yet anyway" I say.

He raises his eyebrows at me but he nods.

"Are you dating him?" he asks.

"Umm no" I say awkwardly. I look down the table but don't see him.

"Hmmm" he replies.

"What?" I say impatiently.

"You're being really secretive about him that's all".

"So?" I mumble back.

"You don't normally care about who knows that sort of stuff" he replies softly.

"I don't care, but he does" I mutter back, my skin starts to itch in irritation.

"Of course, he's such a fucking prick"

I look up and find Blaise rolling his eyes.

"Yup" I chuckle.

Finally Harper strolls into the great hall. I jump up from my bench, still holding my apple in my hand.

"Harper, where have you been all morning?" I demand.

She looks just as pristine and glowing as usual, and I pause.

"I had to finish my Defence against the Dark Arts assignment" she replies easily, before walking past me and plonking herself down next to Blaise. She gives him a sweet smile before she piles her plate with food.

I narrow my eyes and sit back down next to Blaise.

"You missed Potions because of an assignment?" I ask, not believing a word she says.

"Yeah no big deal, I heard you were stuck with Malfoy as a partner?" she asks, her eyebrows wiggling in amusement.

Blaise looks up from his plate, a huge smug smile spread across his face. I glare at him before I reply to Harper.

"Yeah was a drag" I mumble, "why didn't you tell me you weren't coming to Potions?" I ask her.

Her eyes go soft as she looks at me, "I'm sorry Ast, I've been struggling with all the homework and I was embarrassed" she says, her hand goes to the back of her neck and her cheeks go a slight pink.

I suddenly feel like an awful friend.

"Oh," I say surprised.

"I can help you with your assignments," Blaise adds, sensing the unease between us.

Harper gives Blaise a grateful smile all while avoiding my gaze.

As Blaise sets up a time with Harper to go other the rest of her homework, I find myself drifting off, the taste of discomfort on the tip of my tongue. I toss the apple onto my plate, suddenly feeling very unwell.

Suddenly, an owl swoops past and a small letter thumps against my cooper plate.

I flip it over and find my family sigil on emerald sealing wax.

_Dear Aster,_

_We are sorry we have not written sooner, your father has been busy at work._

_We have been in contact with your Uncle and we believe what happened was a misunderstanding, however it would be best that you don't meet with him again until we can join you. There are a few family matters we need to sort out first._

_Don't worry about us, everything is fine here at home. We are going about as usual, I am sure you are just hearing rumours at Hogwarts and there's nothing to seriously worry about._

_I hope you are doing well at school. Give Harper and Blaise a big hug from me._

_Miss you,_

_Mum xxx_

I read the letter again before I crumple it in my fist, the rage crippling in my veins. My parents have always been like this,blasé and unimpressed with serious matters outside of their own house. I was also sheltered as a child when it came to dark magic and the history behind death eaters and the dark lord. The only information I learnt was from stolen newspapers and eventually Hogwarts.

I wasn't going to let them slide this under the rug this time. 


	24. The Shambles

**Aster's POV**

Harper, Blaise and I end up spending our night knuckled down in the musty, warm library. It was a nice quiet, one that reminded me of my father's study at home. The rustling of the textbooks, the flicker of flames from the candles in the centre of the large desks. My father was a scholar, a philosophy researcher. He would forever spend his time studying various theories of magic, many times making a young Aster theorise with him, both of our heads in books and murmuring great declarations and hypothesis.

Once I hit thirteen, my interests started to drift from the academic world. I still prided myself on my studies and I normally came top in most of my classes but I didn't feel that spark of interest in theories and hypothesis anymore. I spent more of my free time with Harper, messing about in Hogsmeade, flirting with boys and girls and sneaking into 18+ concerts. I loved music, I wish the wizarding world embraced muggle music more. At home, our kitchen was always abuzz with music, my mother's favourites mixed with my own. Our father usually holed up in his study, his door shut firmly to keep the drifting notes from disturbing him.

My father always said I had more of my mother's qualities in me, something he had hoped for greatly.

I try to focus on my homework, my writing was starting to get sloppier by the letter, but I had that compelling pulse in my chest I experienced sometimes. It was the wish to be unconfined, mellow and tireless at the same time. I was starting to feel cooped up inside these thick stone walls, my only escape for weeks now had been with Draco, our stolen moments, our forbidden kisses. I needed something else this time.

Harper had her head bowed, her black hair waving at the sides of her cheeks as she scribbled.

"Hey Harper" I whispered across the table.

She holds her finger up and scribbles a few more sentences before she looks up. Her eyes look tired and wary.

"You wanna go see if anyone's playing down at The Shambles tonight?" I mutter, lifting up one eyebrow.

Her own eyebrows raise in curiosity but I see that gleam behind her dark eyes.

"Tonight?"

I nod, "Need to get out of here".

Blaise looks up now, boredom evident in his sharp features.

"We haven't been in a while," he adds.

I give him a malicious grin, grateful that Blaise is in a playful mood.

He rolls his eyes at me, but he smiles before he looks back at his textbook.

"I mean, I need to finish this first but I guess we could get out of here" Harper says, gesturing to her homework laid out in front of her.

"How about I help you?" I ask.

She nods, shuffling over so I can push my chair in next to her.

We all end up helping Harper finish her essay, me proofreading, Blaise flipping back and forth in the textbook. When Harper dots the last i, I twist my torso round to face them both.

"Who's ready to party?" I ask, giving them a huge grin.

**Draco's POV**

I was finally able to get some work done. I had been distracted by Aster these last few weeks and my school work had fallen off the radar. My father would be furious. Luckily I hadn't missed too much and with a free afternoon I was able to complete a few essays and readings. My eyes were heavy and dry, I could have easily fall asleep at at the table.

The great hall was starting to empty out, students were packing up their books and heading to their common rooms. It was a Friday night, so a few were still hovering out in the courtyard, shielding themselves from the cool air with their robes and scarves.

I saw Montague and Crabbe up ahead of me, talking to Pansy. I paused for a second, contemplating turning away and going another direction.

"Malfoy!" Montague calls out.

I sigh and stroll towards them, careful to not look at Pansy. I didn't want to deal with the awkwardness between us just yet.

"Parkinson was just telling us that a few of them were heading to The Shambles tonight, The Hobgoblins are playing tonight. You wanna come?" Montague asks.

I groan, running my hands through my hair contemplating.

"Whose going?" I ask. It would be nice to have a drink and get out of here but I was so tired.

"Blaise asked me, and I asked Montague, Crabbe and Goyle" Pansy chirps up.

I wipe my head towards her, hearing Blaise's name surprised me.

"Zabini?" I scoff.

"He's not that bad Malfoy. Just because he's a halfblood doesn't mean he's anything less" Pansy whines.

I look to Montague, surprised he was ok with this.

"Look mate I don't care who she hangs out with, we can still go" Montague grunts.

If Blaise is going, does that mean Aster would be there?

I could ask but that would look suspicious. The temptation to see Aster outside of school is too hard to resist.

"Ok I'll come" I mumble, "when are we going?" I ask.

"Let's me at the usual place in an hour" Montague answers.

I give him a nod, not bothering to look at Pansy and Crabbe and head back to my room.

**Aster's POV**

"You did what!?" Harper screams, her eyes blazing.

I, too am giving Blaise the best hostile look I can give him.

"I invited Pansy." Blaise mutters, trying to make himself busy as to avoid Harpers eyes.

"Why?" I demand.

"Well we were partnered for an assignment in Runes and we got talking and she's not that bad", Blaise mumbles.

"For fuck sake" Harper grumbles, her hands clenched in fists.

"And are we meeting her there or do we have the pleasure of escorting her too?" I ask.

Blaise finally looks up and gives me a tiresome look.

"We're meeting them there" he answers.

"Them?" I ask, my blood near to boiling point.

This time Blaise answers quietly, "I think Crabbe, Goyle, Montague and Malfoy are joining her".

My mouth goes dry.

"Seriously?" Harper grumbles. She slaps her compact mirror down and forgoes putting on lipstick, instead she impatiently shoves her makeup into her purse and storms off.

Blaise looks at me.

"Malfoy's going, I thought you would be pleased"

I give him another dirty look.

"Do you really think going out to a busy bar with his friends is going to make me pleased?!" I sign, "its not like I can talk to him with all his mates there".

Blaise grits his teeth.

"Yeah didn't think about that" he mumbles, looking in the direction that Harper walked in.

We end up meeting Harper on the fourth floor. She avoids looking at Blaise but I can tell she's slightly calmed down.

As were technically not allowed outside of Hogwarts after 8pm, our only way into Hogsmeade is a passage behind a mirror on the fourth floor. A tall stained mirror, one that many would ignore. Luckily no one travels through the corridor that the mirror is on, being a Friday night the classes are empty and most people are in the great hall or their common rooms. It's a sixth year rite to learn about this passage among Slytherins. I'm not quite sure if other houses know about it.

Harper mutters the unlocking spell, causing the mirror to swing open on a hinge. It's big enough that Harper and I can walk through side by side, leaving Blaise to trail behind us. The passage is hollowed out of stone so all I can hear is Harper's heels knocking against the stone floor.

She's opted for white jeans and a sequined crop top paired with her trusty nude pumps. A very classy look for Harper. I had gone for the complete opposite to her white angelic outfit. I had chosen my short black leather skirt, my long sleeved black crop top and my knee high leather boots. I had gotten Harper to curl my hair and she had helped me swipe some dark eyeshadow so that my green eyes popped amongst all the black.

I felt good tonight, and if Malfoy was going to be there...lets just say this would be fun. 

The passage ends at a small wooden door, we all have to crouch to crawl through it. It opens up into a small room with a table and chairs that looks neglected beyond repaired. The rumours were that this room used to hold secret society meetings but now it was only used as a walk through from the passage and into Hogsmeade. The room belonged to the back of a bed and breakfast. Luckily, the empty room's other door led out onto the streets and not into the bed and breakfast. We stumble our way through the dark and head to the busy streets. Hogsmeade was rather busy on Friday nights, the town was large enough however, that we hadn't bumped into any professors on our previous escapades.

We made our way down the cobbled streets and towards The Shambles. A large bar that hosted various bands and singers from the wizarding world.

"Did you bring your flask?" I asked Harper.

She pats her bag in response. I wiggle my own small flask placed conveniently at the top of my boot.

The line outside The Shambles wasn't too long but we didn't need to line up anyway. The bouncer, Sean nods us in as soon as we arrive. Harper's father was a god sent in Hogsmeade, he very conveniently owned shares in most of the bars and pubs around town. It was a shame her father was very against underage drinking. Harper and I could have definitely run this town into the ground otherwise.

The bar is heaving. I spy a few Hogwarts graduates at the bar and a few regulars pushing themselves towards the stage. Inside its humid and dark, the only bright lights coming from purple fluro signs that spell 'The Shambles' above the stage. The rest of the bar is lit up by whitelight, a dull white thrumming above the bar and alongside the edges of the room. It's large enough that you can easily lose your friends, which usually happens when you're friends with someone like Harper who likes to flirt with any handsome boy that enters the building.

We head towards the bar, nudging our way to the front. We order a few soft drinks, the bartender raises his eyes in recognition.

"Haven't seen you girls in a while" he yells over the throbbing bass of the music.

Harper winks at him before she hands over the money, and we make our way to our usual spot, a small leather booth at the right side of the stage. Perfectly placed so we can watch the act but still join in on the dancing. The small reserved holographic sign blinks out when we arrive, and a small pitcher of water pops up onto the table.

I look around, watching wizards and witches dancing to the support act. The Hobgoblins were a popular band, so the bar was filling up fast. I couldn't see Pansy anywhere, and a mix of disappointment and relief washed through me.

"Looks like your friend isn't here yet" I say loudly to Blaise. Harper sits on the other side of the booth, and I watch as she rolls her eyes at the mention of Pansy's name. The fact that Blaise asked Pansy out of all the girls in our year was a bold move on his part. He knew Harper despised her. Maybe it was a smart move? I begin the think that I don't give Blaise credit enough.

"I just mentioned it to her in passing, she said she would come but maybe something came up" he mutters, his eyes drifting to Harper. Harper ignores him and instead watches the crowd now forming at the base of the stage.

I slip my flask out of my boot and tip the strong liquor into my drink. The drink burns my throat but I welcome it gladly. The buzz of the music was already helping me relax and loosen up. I lean back on the cool leather and nod my head to the music.

"Your mates here" Blaise yells over the music.

I look up, puzzled.

Malfoy walks in, clad in all black. Behind him Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle and Montague walk in. He looks disinterested as he takes in the surroundings, but I watch as Pansy searches the crowd. Her eyes light up once they find Blaise and I have to stop myself from heaving. She catches up to Malfoy and points in our direction before she storms through the crowd, her shoulder length black hair swishing back and forth. She's wearing an obnoxiously tight green dress, and I can't help but snicker as she comes towards us.

Harper scoffs and I stifle another chuckle for Blaise's sake. 

I watch Malfoy behind her, still hovering by the door. The boys murmur something to him and before he turns towards the bar he looks over to our table. He keeps his manner neutral, but beyond those familiar eyes I can evidently see mischief brimming on the surface. 


	25. The First Act

**Aster's POV**

Harper sips at her drink, her own spiked with something sweet and strong im sure. Her mood is considerably high, she's chatting up a moderately handsome wizard. I absentmindedly listen to their conversation, while sipping at my third drink this hour. My mind has been distracted, both on Draco and the oddness of seeing Blaise chatting animatedly with Pansy.

Pansy's hands keep drifting towards Blaise's arms, pushing his shoulder playfully. Blaise doesn't respond but instead just laughs and carries on with the conversation. He looks relaxed but every now and then I see his gaze drift towards Harper. I don't really think he understands how to play this game.

Harper has avoided Pansy since she got here, not even giving her the pleasure of acknowledgement. It would be quite humorous if I wasn't caught in the middle of it.

I've been watching Draco slyly for the past hour, he's nestled himself in a booth on the opposite side of the bar, one that's completely within eye-view of my position right now. I lift my drink up to my lips and slowly sip on the cold liquid all while sneaking a glance. His arm is draped round the top of the leather booth, and he chats happily to Crabbe and Goyle while Montague flirts with a girl at the edge of his seat.

He always looks so in control of them all, they follow his conversation with wonder, laughing at his jokes and nodding their heads in agreement. He obviously seems to revel in their attention. He's quite bewitching to watch when he's exuding so much confidence.

He's wearing a long sleeve black button up, tucked into black jeans. His pale hair flops attractively onto his forehead.

I sip until my glass is empty. Harper rattles on about her excitement for The Hobgoblins to the poor fella that's donned her attention. They should be starting soon, so I tap Harper on the shoulder and motion to my empty glass. She nods before I head towards the bar.

The bar is busier than before so I have to wait until the bartender can serve me. I order another drink, and tap my fingers impatiently on the sticky wooden bar top.

"I can get you an alcoholic one if you would rather" a smooth voice appears to my side.

Draco leans his side against the bar, and looks me up and down his pupils wide.

"I've got my own provisions" I answer, tapping the flask still nestled in my boot.

His eyes drift down my legs slowly and stop to wear my fingers tap. My body shivers under his stare.

"Should you really be here seen talking to me?" I murmur, loud enough that he can hear me over the loud music.

He turns his body towards the bar.

"They can't see me from here" he answers simply.

I nodd, grateful that he can't see my red cheeks in the dim lighting.

He steps closer towards me, placing his left foot behind my right. Suddenly, I feel his cool hands feather themselves up the inside of my leg and up my thigh.

"You look really hot tonight" he whispers into my ear from behind me.

I have to stop myself from gasping at his touch and his boldness.

His fingers continue up my thigh and then brush the underside of my bum cheek.

"Are you not wearing any underwear?" he murmurs hotly in my ear.

I smile smugly to myself and stay looking forward, careful to not let anyone see how close we really are.

"That's for you to find out" I murmur back before nodding my thanks to the bartender and picking up my drink.

I slip out from beneath him and make my way back towards our booth. I don't look back, but I can feel his gaze on my back.

Blaise and Pansy are still chatting in the booth, and I wiggle myself opposite them. Blaise looks up but Pansy keeps her eyes on him. I give him a brief smile before I look back towards Harper. She's been pushed closer to the stranger she was talking to, the crowd pushing up against the stage.

The crowd suddenly starts to turn into a frenzy and I watch as the band takes the stage. The Hobgoblins start to hype the crowd up and the place buzzes with excitement.

Harper's interest drastically turns to the stage and I watch as she jumps up and down. A smile reaches my lips.

Pansy gets up off her feet and tries to drag Blaise with her. He shakes his head and says something I can't hear. She gives him a small smile before she heads off into the throng of jumping bodies.

Blaise slides next to me.

"Do you think Harper will be mad at me forever?" he asks, concern washes over his face.

"Nah" I mumble, watching as Harper jumps up and down and pulls the wizard she was talking to next to her.

"I don't like Pansy that way," Blaise says into my ear.

I look over at him. He's watching Harper, his eyes soft and dreary.

"I know" I say back, "you're just trying to get Harper's attention".

His eyes widen and he brings his hand up to his neck, rubbing the back nervously.

"It's a classic Aster move, of course I was going to see straight through it" I say, giving him a nudge.

He smiles shyly at me before returning his gaze to Harper.

"I'm not doing a great job" he says nodding towards Harper, her arms all over the stranger.

I cringe.

"She's been like this since you've known her. You've never told her how you feel, she can't read your mind Zabini" I say.

A flash of hurt surfaces his dark eyes and I inwardly cringe at my brass behaviour.

"Go have fun!" I say, poking him in the ribs and forcing him to get up.

He rises from the booth and gives me a cheeky smile before heading off to the dance floor. Most probably searching for Pansy.

I'm left on my own, I enjoy my drink and let myself get lost in the loud music.

Someone slides into the booth, and I look round to find Draco perched on the side.

I raise my eyebrows at him. He's being very daring tonight.

"You looked lonely," he explains, giving me a smirk.

"Where are your mates?" I ask.

He nods in the direction of the crowd beneath the stage. 

"Somewhere in there" he says.

We both watch the band, the music too loud to have a real conversation. The tension feels thick and I find myself shuffling in my seat.

I feel him slide closer to me, and my heart thumps in my chest. He just loves the thrill of the possibility of being caught doesn't he?

I don't look over, instead I take another sip of my drink, letting the alcohol numb my nerves.

He's sitting just a few inches away from me, but he keeps his body turned towards the table. I'm really hoping it's too dark for anyone to see us two sitting so close.

He's fingers skim my leather skirt before planting themselves on my thigh, his hand griping it possessively.

"Do you actually want to get caught, Draco?" I whisper in his direction.

I hear him chuckle next to me, and the sound makes my stomach swirl with anticipation.

His fingers dip underneath my skirt, and tentatively make their way up my thigh. I catch a breath in my throat and clench my legs together, squeezing his fingers tightly between my hot skin.

"That's not fun" he murmurs into my ear. He's closer to me now, his leg touching mine. I can smell the familiar scent of peppermint on his breath.

I look over to the crowd, but no one pays us any attention.

The music is loud and fast and I feel my heart race at the rhythm. I search the room one more time before I deem it clear and I open my legs for him.

"Good girl" he whispers, making my muscles tense with fever.

He traces his fingers to the spot that's begging for him. Swiping his forefinger against my wetness. I gasp lightly.

Luckily the booth we were sitting in is dim and small, so know one can see what Draco's doing to me. But the electric thrill of doing this so publicly is making my body tremble with need.

He traces his finger up the crease between my thigh and hip.

Before he can return to my wetness, he rips his hand from under my skirt and slides back to the other side of the table. I look up shocked at his urgency, but find Montague striding over to the table. Fuck.

I shuffle my skirt back down and pick my drink back up.

"Mate what are you doing over here with this pretty halfblood?" Montague slurs.

I roll my eyes in disgust.

Malfoy taps his fist on the table but doesn't reply.

Montague pushes Malfoy to the side making himself comfortable in the booth.

"Flint, ya boyfriend Blaise seems to have taken a fancy to Parkinson" he jabs at me.

"Fuck off Montague, you know Blaise isn't my boyfriend" I answer, bored. 

"True, even though he's a half blood himself, it's not smart of him to get with another halfblood" he mumbles, giving Malfoy a playful punch.

Draco nods his head but his lips stay in a firm line.

"Sorry mate, forget for a sec that you were with Parkinson" Montague states, giving me a grimy smirk.

I bring my drink back to my lips, but keep my eyes on Malfoy.

"I'm not" he grunts.

"Ah yeah, I forgot you got a new girl now" he says. I choke on my drink, coughing as the liquid spirts out of my mouth.

Draco looks up at me, but I can't read his face in this dim lighting.

Montague ignores my coughing and instead grabs Draco's drink from the table and takes a swig.

"I heard you the other night with her" Montague adds, looking out at the dancefloor.

I feel my heart stop.

Draco's eyes go wide but before Montague looks back at him, he schools his features into a sense of despair.

"You didn't hear anything," he demands.

Montage wiggles his eyebrows but shuts up. He doesn't pay any attention to me sitting on the opposite side of the table, so I figure he didn't actually know who he heard in Draco's room. I feel my heart steadily regain a normal rhythm.

This is all getting ridiculous.

I shuffle myself out of the booth, desperate to get away from Montague and his invasive questions. I consider joining Harper but her hands seem to be wandering all over the poor boy with her and I sigh.

I decide to leave my empty glass at the table and head to the bathroom. The tension from Draco touching me still lingers on my skin and I need some air.

I don't look at him as I leave, I need to keep the act up.

The bathroom is empty, being the first set of the band I assume everyone is too busy having fun.

I check myself in the mirror, smoothing down my hair and touching up my lipstick. I grip my hands on the cold counter and take in a deep breath willing my nerves to settle before I go back out. The door swings open and Draco walks in. I twist round and gape at him.

"What are you-" I start before he rounds me up against the counter, both of his hands now on the counter either side of me.

"I couldn't help myself" he murmurs. His eyes are drowsy and they keep looking down at my lips. Before I know it, their crashing down onto mine, the taste of sour whiskey coating my tongue.


	26. The Bathroom

**Aster's POV**

Everything filters into white noise around us as he starts to mold his mouth against mine, the alcohol making our lips feverish and messy.

I push myself up against the bathroom counter and lift myself to sit on the edge, my face now level with his. I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him closer. He reaches to them, running his hands down my thighs and legs like he's trying to memorise every inch of them. I loop my hands around the top of his shoulders and open his mouth to more desperate, heated kisses.

My body feels hot and itchy, likes its begging for more than his touch.

The taste of him is enough to leave me mindlessly drunk from that same whiskey and peppermint that suffocates my senses. Such a familiar and comforting smell.

His palms travel up my thighs further, until they slide under my skirt and cup my ass. My own hands tangle into the back of his hair over the action.

A deep groan travels through his chest and I squeeze my legs tighter around his hips, he pushes against them in return and I think my heart may just explode from the closeness of us.

He squeezes my ass roughly again, grinding his hips forward, dragging his blunt finger nails up the back of my thighs, causing a sharp whimper to escape my lips. Our kisses are messy and intense I start to think we wont be able to come to our senses anytime soon.

That was wrong.

The bathroom door swings open and Draco pulls himself away from me, my legs still wrapped around his waist.

Two girls stand at the door, their mouths wide open. One of them giggles and I release my legs from Draco. Draco gives me a satisfied smirk, before he steps back and readjusts himself.

"Ladies" he nods, walking past them with a charming smile and exiting the bathroom. I smile at the ground at his smooth exit.

I snap my legs together before hopping off the counter, twist around and fix my hair in the mirror. The two girls stand quietly near the door.

I shake off the tension still creeping through my body and turn towards the door.

Before I leave, I give them a cheeky wink.

**Draco's POV**

My nerves are frayed and my body feels like it's on fire.

I find the boys sitting at the table, drinks in their hands. They don't look up when they see me.

The Hobgoblins are still on their first act, the crowd jumping and just as loud as ever. I see Parkinson and Zabini dancing closely together, Parkinson desperately trying to get Zabini to respond to her advances. I cringe as he turns away from her and looks around.

He waves at someone, and I have to crane my neck to see who he's gesturing to.

Aster appears, her dark hair tousled and her eyes gleaming. I can't help but turn the corner of my lips up at her confidence.

She strides over to Zabini and joins in on the dancing, her hips swinging to the beat, her lips mouthing the words.

She's intoxicating to watch.

I have to shake myself out of staring, suddenly realising that the boys can easily guess what I was staring at. She's hard not to miss.

I need a drink.

Montague asks where I'm going, and I nod towards the bar. The cheeky git asks me to get him a drink as well, I contemplate telling him to go fuck himself but I don't want him to join me. I still need to shake the state that Aster left me off.

As I wait for my whiskey, _the perks of being a Malfoy includes people overlooking laws and rules for you, thank you father_ , I peer back to Aster. She looks free and unaware of everyone around her, her eyes are slightly closed as she listens to the music.

An older guy swoops in from nowhere, he presses himself against Aster and I feel my blood starting to sizzle beneath my skin. I wait to see if she does anything. My nerves now definitely more than frayed.

Her green eyes snap open to find this strange creep on top of her toes. Her eyes grow wide but before he has a chance to make a move she screws up her nose and gives him a deathly look. His face shows the definite look of defeat and I can't help but chuckle, relief washing through me in waves.

The thought of Aster being with someone else suddenly dawns on me. The taste of bile appears in my throat and I literally jump at the bartender when he gives me my new drink.

The sweet alcohol does nothing but make my mouth feel sickly sweet and I push my hair away from my face in frustration.

**Aster's POV**

I let the music float around my body, the fast paced notes making my hips swing and my head tip back.

I feel a smile grow on my face as the next song starts to play. My favourite.

I look up and find Harper dancing intimately with the boy she was with earlier, she looks dazed and intoxicated. I make a note to keep an eye on her.

I find Blaise staring at her, his eyes dim and spent. Pansy jumps up and down next to him. He flicks his eyes to Pansy and I watch as he steps closer to her, his body pressed up against hers. Pansy pauses briefly, but her demeanor changes and she starts to sultry dance against him. I raise my eyes at him surprised.

He had a lot of balls doing this.

I cringe at the scene unfolding in front of me, as if Harper can sense my hesitancy she looks over the boy's shoulder to me. He eyes wide in question. I look over at Blaise and she follows my gaze.

I wasn't sure how this was going to play out.

She steps back from the boy, her eyes wide. At that moment, I realise that I probably should have done something to stop Blaise. Harper stands frozen in the middle of the dance floor, her eyes locked on Blaise and Pansy, her face suddenly void of all colour.

Fuck.

I snap out of it, and rush over to Blaise, pulling him from Pansy and hiss in his ear.

"Come with me now" I demand.

He looks up, his eyes fierce and concerned. Pansy looks at me, distaste growing in her eyes.

I roll my eyes at her and pull Blaise away. He stumbles over the crowd of people and I swear I could hear him grumbling and swearing behind me.

Once we're safe from the throng of dancers I push him into an empty booth and squeeze in next to him.

He turns his body to face me, his face filled with worry lines. Ironic as his name was, Blaise was not a person you can easily provoke.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" I yell, the loud music thumping behind us.

He crumbles up his face, confusion settling into his features making them softer. He looked quite young. Naïve, almost.

"Harper's going to kill you".

Before I can further explain, I hear a squeal come from behind us. I look behind to find Harper pushing Pansy into the crowd. Pansy must have followed us, and now Harper was scrambling for Parkinson's hair, her face full of fury and malice.

I jump up and run over to Harper, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her off of Pansy. Pansy's hair is strewn across her face but I can tell her eyes are shooting daggers straight at us.

"You're a fucking slut!" Harper cries out.  
  


Pansy spits at Harper, causing us both to flinch backwards. Thank god, she didn't get out her wand.

Harper falls against my chest and I feel my feet slip underneath me and I start to topple backwards.

Before I hit the floor, strong hands lift me up. I push Harper off of me and stumble into the hands clumsily.

I turn to say thank you to whoever stopped me from falling and find Draco standing behind me. He looks concerned and his eyes wash over me before they rest of my face.

"Are you ok?" He asks.

I nod before I look back at Harper. She's yelling all sorts of abuse at Pansy, and Pansy right back at her.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Blaise interrupts, standing between the two, hands on his hips.

He towers the both of them, and I watch as Harper clamps her mouth shut.

"This psycho just pushed me and is calling me a slut" Pansy whines.

Blaise acknowledges Pansy but doesn't respond, instead he turns to Harper.

"Why?" he demands, his voice authoritative and raspy.

Harper opens her mouth and then closes it, gaping like a fish trying to come up for air.

"What are you doing Harper?" he begs, his voice softer this time.

Harper's eyes go soft and I swear I can see the anger melt inside of her as she stares at Blaise.

"I've had enough of this" he hisses, before he turns on his heels and leaves us to stand idly on the outskirts of the dance floor.

I look between the two of them, Harper staring off after Blaise, Pansy fuming.

"Look, how about you go join your mates" I tell Pansy, stepping between the two so they don't jump onto each other again.

Pansy huffs but does as I say, before she leaves she motions to Draco to join her.

"One second" he replies. Pansy pauses, disbelief on her face but storms off.

I steer Harper away from the dance floor, one arm around her waist. She follows my lead quietly.

I stop in front of Malfoy.

"Thank you for before" I murmur carefully.

He looks up into my eyes and a large gulp travels down my throat.

He nods, giving me a small smile before turning away.

I look over to Harper, but her eyes look glazed and drained.

In that moment, the end of a song finishes and The Hobgoblins announce an intermission.


	27. The Second Act

**Aster's POV**

I let Harper sink into the plush leather booth, her body limp and her eyes slightly glossed over.

"Why did you do that Harps?" I ask over the rudimentary music they were playing in the intermission.

She slowly turns her head towards me.

"I don't know Ast, I really don't know. I just saw her with him and I snapped" she explains, her eyebrows furrowed as if she couldn't figure it out for herself either.

"I know it's Pansy, but we need to respect Blaise's decisions on who he wants to be friends with. He's always done the same for us"

"But she was all over him, that's not what friends do!" she snaps, her eyes droopy but fiercely mad.

I grab the pitcher of water and pour her some water into a glass. Handing it over to her, I give her a piercing stare until she finally relents and tips the glass to her cherry soda stained lips.

I take a deep breath.

"Are you jealous Harper?" I ask.

She stops drinking, her glass paused on the tip of her bottom lip.

"No" she scoffs. Her face had switched to a look of boredom, but from someone that had known her for years, I could read right through that expression.

I contemplate telling her, but a nagging pull lingered at the thought.

Instead, I leave it to Blaise and Harper. If he wanted to tell her after tonight, I wouldn't get into the middle of that.

Instead, I shake my head at her and look around the place.

The dance floor had dwindled, people were now either lined up outside the bathrooms or the bar. There was still a slight buzz in the atmosphere, and the bar was now starting to smell like spilled alcohol and sweat.

It was only the intermission and the night was already falling apart.

Blaise was nowhere to be found, and I prayed that he hadn't left without us. Draco was sitting in his own booth, the boys chugging down beer. Pansy was sitting idly next to Draco, and if it wasn't for her irritable scowl and Draco's body language I probably would have felt a pang of jealousy myself.

Jealousy was an adequate but unremarkable emotion. It compelled people to act but most of the time you're either too late or too early.

I didn't want to be jealous of Draco and his relationships with others. I was happy enough seeing him behind closed doors, it was safer that way. 

It was fun however, to see Draco jealous. I was ok with that.

I try to convince Harper to switch to water but with her stubborn ways she ignores my pleading and instead climbs out of the booth over and to the bar. I sigh as I watch her. She's always been very flippant with her thoughts, has never really been one to talk openly or ask for advice. She loved to give advice but she was one of those girls that lived by her own rules and was very much floating by majority of the time.

Sometimes it was exhausting being Harper's best friend.

As I watched her order a drink from across the room, I remembered why I came out tonight in the first place. I wanted to feel the music notes on my skin and the heavy pounds of the bass against my eardrums. I grabbed my own drink, swigging it down and I let the alcohol erase the doubts and restraint from before.

The intermission wasn't long, once Harper had finally obtained a sweet enough drink she strolled back, gave me her usually apologetic cheeky grin and we were back on the dance floor, just the two of us jumping up and down to the second act.

The Hobgoblins opened with a cover from an older band and I immediately squealed at the recognition of it. As Harper and I shouted out the na-na's against the thick air above us, I felt my skin tingle. The sort of tingle that ripples through your body when you're experiencing complete bliss and adrenaline.

In the middle of the chorus, Blaise appears. I run over to him, my adrenaline bursting at the seams. I placed my hands on his shoulders, straining to look up at him. 

"Don't let this ruin your friendship with her. When we get back to school we can talk about it, but for now can we just have fun" I explain, giving him a pout. 

He raises an eyebrow but there was a gleam in his dark eyes. Finally, he looked up at the band on stage and I took that opportunity to drag him towards Harper. Harper pauses, her eyes wide but her lips tense, I give her a testing glance. As if she's flicked on a switch, her features change and she's reaching up to Blaise on her tiptoes and wrapping her arms around him. I can feel Blaise tense from behind him, but after a second he finally moves and he lifts Harper up from the ground spinning her around.

A wave of relief rushes over me, the perfect picture of two best friends in front of me. The music blaring against our laughs, the alcohol making us warm and comfortable.

The three of us, the Half-blood trio, sing and dance, waving our arms into the air as the music slows down.

**Draco's POV**

Pansy was driving me insane, she wouldn't stop complaining about how I didn't back her up with that pathetic flight with Bainbridge. I was in two minds about leaving them all and going back to Hogwarts. I would have, if it wasn't for Aster.

She was dancing with Bainbridge and Zabini to the left of the stage, I couldn't keep my eyes off her. She looked so ethereal, like there was constantly a spotlight on her face.

"Dude, who do you keep staring at?" Crabbe grunts, pushing his meaty hands onto the edge of the table and lifting himself up to see.

I switch my focus to another spot in the crowd.

"Well it can't be that harlot he's sleeping with, she obviously goes to Hogwarts and the only girls from Hogwarts here are those bitches with Blaise" Pansy states, a scowl on her lips.

"Yeah she's definitely from Hogwarts, I heard the two of them at it the other night" Montague brags, again.

I need to give this guy a fucking knock to the head.

Pansy gags, and I shoot a filthy look her way.

"Didn't waste much time replacing me did you Malfoy?" She glares at me, her hand clenching around the glass in her hand.

Fuck, I'm so fed up with them.

I ignore them all, hoping that my silence makes them disinterested.

"For all we know it could be that Bainbridge girl, your Zabini prefers, Parkinson" Goyle drones.

Pansy's eyes light up with so much hatred, I can't help but slightly lean further away from her.

"If it's Bainbridge Malfoy, I will waste no time going straight to your father" Pansy threatens.

See, normally for an average teenager, that threat would pose no implications. For me however, if my father heard about my exploits from Parkinson of all people, I would be immediately pulled out of Hogwarts and sent to a miserable life of home-schooling. I would also be the laughing stock of the entire pureblood community in England.

"Do you really think Bainbridge is my type, Parkinson?" I reply, giving her a sincere look of disgust. Harper Bainbridge was not my type at all, stuck up, a flirt and although she had impressive levels of confidence, it did not come across as elegantly and empowered as Aster.

Pansy seems content with my answer, and turns her ugly scowl back to the dance floor.

"Will you ever tell us who the lucky lady is Malfoy?" Goyle continues.

I groan.

"No"

"Must be embarrassed," mutters Montague. I consider, wiping out my wand and hexing the shit out of him, leaving him with massive welts on that ugly face but I contain my anger and give him my middle finger instead.

"I don't brag about the girls I'm seeing because I don't need to" I state.

Montague tuts but moves his attention elsewhere. Crabbe stays silent, but he raises his eyebrows at me questioningly.

I ignore them all and take another big gulp of my whiskey.

**Aster's POV**   
  


I end up breaking apart from the throng of dancers and racing to the bar for a nice cool drink. The bar was starting to get hot and my skin was slick with sweat.

I don't know if it was the adrenaline from the music or the sight of a couple running their hands through each others hair, but I felt the sudden compelling need to have someone touch me like that.

My mind instantly travels to Draco. His large warm hands against my hot skin.

I flick my attention to the outskirts of the dance floor, searching each booth for his familiar face. He's talking to the boys but he looks frustrated and tired.

I try and will him to look over. It takes a few minutes, but he finally looks my way. I nod towards the hallway leading to the bathrooms.

He tips his glass up to his lips before he gives me the tiniest nod known to man. I smirk.

He had no idea what he's in for.

I walk towards a spot in the hallway that's empty. Groups of people float through the walkway to the bathroom, a few couples litter the walls just outside of the doors. 

I lean my back against the cool stone and rest my drink on a side table beside me and close my eyes for a second. I think back to the last time I was here. This young pretty Vampire had been waiting for her friends, leaning against this very wall. She saw me fiddle with my flask and empty it into my glass and she gave me this small chuckle. 

We started talking and before I knew she was pushing me up against the wall, her tongue in my mouth. It was hot, and my first ever experience with a girl. She had insanely long blonde hair, and her lips were soft and warm. 

"What are you day dreaming about?"

I open my eyes and find Draco leaning on his side against the wall, his frame slightly towering over me. 

I smirk. 

"Oh just the last time I was pushed up against this wall"

He narrows his eyes. 

"You're bringing me to your hook-up spot?" he asks, his tone slightly accusing. 

"It was one time" I explain, giving him a wink. 

He looks around, and I finally get to drink him in. 

"You ok there?" He asks, giving me a gleaming smirk, his eyebrows slightly raised. 

"I could be better" I murmur, letting my eyes glance to his lips. 

He steps closer to me and leans his arm above my head. He tilts his body down towards mine and I shiver in anticipation. 

"You're making it very hard to not just devour you right here and right now ", he murmurs hotly into my ear. 

The floor beneath me seems to shake and I have to push down into my heels to stop myself from turning to jelly. 

How much have I had to drink? I knew he got me riled up, but this much? 

He touches his lips lightly to my neck, just under my ear and goose bumps cover my entire upper body. I must have shivered, because I feel him laugh onto my neck between soft kisses. 

"I'm gonna need to see you in my bed later tonight" he whispers. 

I twist my body round to face him, his frame illuminated by the purple glow of _The Shambles_ fluorescent sign far in the background. I look up into his grey eyes and find them lust-fueled and desperate. 

I know we're completely out in the open and at any time any one of our friends could walk by and catch us. But it seems like we both thrive on the thrill of being caught. 

He cups my jaw in his large hands, brushing his ring finger against my hot cheeks. I part my mouth and once our lips finally meet my body irrupts into rippling flames. 


	28. The Come Down

**Aster's POV**

Heat climbs up the back of my neck, up my arms and coils gracefully in my belly. His tongue laps against mine while his hands wander down to my waist and to my hips. He grabs my hips harshly, pulling me to him closer. I wrap my arms around his neck and dive deeper into the kiss, letting the thumping music replace the mutinous beats of my heart in my chest.

I give myself to him, letting my body relax into his, our chests heaving against each other. His hands trace down and under my skirt, squeezing my bum so hard I let out a little yelp. He grins into his kiss, and continues to trace his fingers under the curve of my bottom and slowly up to my hip. Luckily, he was using his left hand, the hand closest to the wall so no one could actually see my skirt hitched up to one side.

He leaves my lips, and I moan at their absence. Instead, he sucks gently on my neck, making my toes curl in my boots. His hot breath caresses my neck, hovering above my carotid artery.

"I can feel your heart racing" he whispers against my skin, before leaving soft gentle kisses over the pulse.

The alcohol in my blood makes my head feel fuzzy but I know my heart is racing purely from his touch.

"It's all you" I whisper back, unashamed.

He traces his lips back up my neck and to my jaw, nibbling before he reaches my lips once again. He kisses softly, and I breathe him in, the intoxicating scent of peppermint and whiskey. Before I can up the ante, and delve into his mouth with the fever bursting inside of my chest, he pulls away.

Startled, I pull him back towards me, gripping his shirt in my fists.

He resists slightly, and I look up to find him looking down the hallway. His eyes narrowed. As if waking from a fever-induced dream, I start to hear the muffled sounds of someone running or walking?

Blaise rushes past, his eyes fierce, his lips in a tight line. He halts when he sees me, flashing his eyes at Draco before landing them back on me.

I pull away from Draco, letting his hands drop from my waist.

"What happened?" I ask Blaise.

"Harper just kissed me!" he yells above the loud music, shoving his hands up into the air.

My mouth drops open.

"What!?" I yell back, a smile growing on my face.

He clocks my smile and shakes his head, his eyes dim.

"No! She kisses me and then she pulls away and says 'I can't do this'" he yells back.

I frown at him, confused. Before I can reply, Draco tugs on my hip.

"I'm gonna go," he says awkwardly. I don't even have time to explain that Blaise won't tell anyone about us before he rushes off.

I see Harper's dark hair and small frame rush past Draco. She pauses quickly, looking at him before spying Blaise and I down the hallway, Draco doesn't give her any acknowledgment and instead he rushes past her.

I turn back towards Blaise, he runs his hands through his short hair, grasping the back of his neck before he sighs.

"Why are you running off?" I ask him.

"I can't do this anymore with her, she's tearing me apart" He says, the anger in his voice makes my heart quiver with sorrow.

Harper appears next to me.

"Blaise, stop, I'm sorry!" she cries, her eyes look red and weary. Blaise doesn't look at her and instead gives me a tired look before turning away and storming towards the exit.

Before Harper can follow, I stick my hand out and stop her.

"What are you doing?!" I yell, now irritated. She was exhausting me.

She looks at me, her features crumbled in worry.

"You wouldn't understand"

I gap at her, fury risings beneath my skin.

"What do you mean?!" I yell back. The alcohol in my blood was making me impatient.

She furrows her eyes at me, and I watch as those brown eyes of hers mimic the look of abhorrence.

A loathing rumble reverberates in my chest.

She turns her head back towards the bar.

"You know, you shouldn't trust Malfoy. He's not who you think he is" she mutters.

I lean forward, not completely sure if I heard her right.

"What are you talking about!?" I groan, lifting my hand to my temples.

She looks back at me, and nothing short of evil flickers in her irises. I flinch backwards against the wall, taken aback by the darkness shadowing in her features.

A chill snakes down my spine.

She races towards the exit instead of answering me. I run after her, dodging the drunks stumbling out into the cool air.

I find her and Blaise shouting at each other, in the middle of the cobbled stone street. People were idling outside, smoking and chatting. A waft of cigarette smoke drifts by and I scrunch my nose up at the scent.

"Why would you kiss me then Harper?!" I hear Blaise yell out.

"I just did! What's wrong with that?" She yells back, her voice hoarse.

"You kissed me and then you said you couldn't! What does that even mean?"

I watch as Harper clenches her fists. From where I'm standing I can only see Blaise's face and the back of Harpers head. In the dimly lit shadows of the street, I can only just make out Blaise's face, his eyes narrowed, his nostrils flared.

"I shouldn't have kissed you!" She cries.

"Well you did!" Blaise exclaims, "You did and now you've ruined everything".

I flinch.

"You don't let anyone in. You don't talk about anything important. You don't even tell Aster anything! You're best friends with her for fucks sake and half the time she doesn't know where you even are!" Blaise roars.

My body tenses at the mention of my name.

"I don't have anything important to talk about!" Harper screams back.

"I had to hear from my own mother, that your mum was sick Harper!" Blaise replies.

My heart stops.

"It's none of your business" Harper squeals, her voice slightly quieter.

I step forward.

"Your mum's sick?" I ask her.

She twists round in shock. Her eyebrows raised and her mouth slightly parted.

"Why wouldn't you tell me that?" I ask her.

I watch her face twists with agony, her thoughts muddled beneath those weary eyes of hers.

"I don't need to tell you guys everything!" she cries out.

"Harper we're best friends!" I cry back, my anger turning into despair.

"You don't tell me everything!" she shouts back.

I flinch again, the alcohol swirling furiously in my stomach.

"I do" I mutter.

"Ok well then you should know that Malfoy is a death eater" she spits out immaturely.

My blood turns cold.

"He's not a death eater" I spit back.

"Oh yeah, well his father is one. Trust me, I know" She retorts.

"Why would you know that?" I murmur, confused.

Why is she bringing up Malfoy? Why would she think he's a death eater?

"He doesn't have the dark mark, he can't be one" I yell back, my anger bursting through the tight wall I've kept it contained behind.

"And how would you know that Ast?" She says, raising an eyebrow devilishly, "You can be a death eater without a dark mark" she adds.

I search for words, my mouth opening and closing with disbelief.

"Harper why would you know that?" Blaise demands, stepping forward into the street light.

Harper pauses and bites her bottom lip.

"I just know!" She cries out, throwing her hands up into the air.

"I'm over this. I'm over the both of you. You're getting up in my grill about me keeping secrets when I know for a fact you've both been keeping things from me! This isn't what real friends do. You were never my real friends!" She yells, her voice croaking at the last sentence.

I feel tears prickle in my eyes and I will myself to take deep breaths.

I watch as Harper storms off down the street, her heels hitting the cobblestones with loud clacks. Blaise hovers nearby, both of us stand in silence. Shocked.

**Draco's POV**

We all end up leaving just before the last song. It was getting late, Pansy was still sulking and I was getting restless.

I know Blaise saw Aster and I together, and I was crossing my fingers that he wouldn't blab. He didn't even look shocked but I thought maybe what ever happened with Harper was taking priority. That Harper seemed like a mess.

It wasn't long after Aster left the bar that was left too. I was half hoping we would catch up to them.

We enter the back of the bed and breakfast, shuffling through the small room and into the hidden tunnel. I walked in silence listening to the boys pull jokes and tease Pansy. We were all pretty slaughtered. I drank a bit too much today, the alcohol was starting to make me feel drowsy.

The walk to the common room was quiet, the five of us careful to step silently and look around corners for professors on night patrol. We were lucky as we reached the common room safely, I let the others go ahead of me hopeful to see Aster waiting for me once were inside.

My heart dropped slightly as I scan the empty common room. I was so pent up with hormones I would probably have to sort myself out tonight.

I don't bother saying goodbye to the others, instead I head straight for my room. I open my door, my hands to my temple rubbing up the already pounding headache already rising.

"Hey" a voice squeaks.

I look up to find Aster sitting at the edge of my bed, her eyes red-rimmed and her cheeks pale.

"Hey" I say giving her a small smile. My heart started to pound in my chest. What was wrong with me? I shouldn't feel so relieved, it was just a girl.

It was Aster though.

I shut the door behind me, pulling my wand out from my jeans and locking it. I walk slowly towards the bed and rest my wand on my side table. Closer up, her emerald eyes were striking, the wetness beneath them highlighting the many shades of green.

"Are you ok?" I ask.

She gives me a weary smile.

"Blaise knows about us" she tells me quietly, "but he won't tell anyone" she adds quickly.

I nod, not sure how to feel.

"Harper.." she pauses and bits her bottom lip nervously. I raise my eyebrows.

"Um she said some stuff" she murmurs.

I dig my hands into my jeans, confused as to what she was trying to tell me.

"What?" I ask.

"She yelled at me and Blaise, said we weren't good friends and whatever" she says flicking a non-existent piece of fluff of from her thigh.

I shuffle my feet awkwardly.

"She mentioned you"

I lift my head up in surprise. I stay quiet, hoping she explains further.

"She said you were a death eater" she whispers, her eyes looking down at her lap.

I stifle a laugh. Out of all the things she could have said she says this?! I don't know if it was the whiskey or the fact that it was so close to the truth it was scary.

I kneel down to face her. I part her legs and rest my hands our her cold thighs.

She looks up in surprise, and I sense her flinch when I touch her. I cringe.

"I am not a death eater" I state simply.

She lifts her head up slightly and looks at me. She seems angry, and my stomach swirls unappealingly.

"You can be a death eater and have a dark mark" she whispers abruptly.

I frown.

"Who told you that?" I demand.

She places her hands on top of mine.

"Harper" she says sternly, "your father is a death eater so you must be too" she explains.

Fuck.

How was I going to explain this? Did I want to explain this to her?

I felt my apprehension cloud in my head, mixed with an insane need to finally talk to someone.

I could never talk freely to anyone about anything, it would be nice to finally open up. Disperse my thoughts.

Maybe Aster was the one to do that with? Could I trust her?

I look up into her green eyes.

"He is, yes" I admit nervously, "but you can't tell anyone that. I'm trusting you Aster" I add, hoping she sees my sincerity.

I needed her to trust me, I had no one else.

She looks taken back and a flash of immediate regret courses through me.

As if she also senses my regret, she grips onto my hands tighter so I can't move away.

"The fact that you Draco Malfoy are on your knees telling me this, I know your telling the truth. I just don't understand why you're so freely admitting this to me."

I lift myself up, suddenly conscious of my outrageous stance. I sit myself down next to her.

"I don't know. I just needed to tell someone. It's not like you think, he's been forced into this. I don't know much because my mother keeps me away from it all but I've seen the mark and I know what it can do" I say, looking down at my hands and twisting the family ring around my finger.

She doesn't look up, she stays completely still as if someone's frozen her with the

"Fuck" I mumble, dragging my hands through my hair.

"Look Aster, I won't hurt you, I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want anything to do with the dark lord. Contrary to popular belief I'm not evil" I desperately plead. I didn't know what I was doing, why was I pleading? Was I trying to convince her or myself?

Aster finally looks up and I feel my limbs slightly relax.

"I believe you" she mutters. Her eyes flicking to mine and back to her lap.

"Why was Harper saying all this?" I ask.

"She's just annoyed and I think she had an inkling about us" she adds, worry flickers in her eyes as she tells me the last part.

"Aster the last thing I care about is Harper finding out, I can handle her" I grunt.

"Don't" she says sternly, "don't talk to her, leave her alone".

I nod.

We both sit in silence, this night wasn't turning out the way I wanted. I was confused, relieved, worried all at once. My head was pounding from the swirling thoughts running through my head.

"You play guitar?" She asks, a slight smirk on her face.

I look up to see her staring at the far corner of my room, my acoustic guitar propped up against the wall collecting dust.

"Yeah, I don't get to play it much though" I explain, grateful to see a small smile on her face.

She puffs out a sigh. I look up confused.

"Explains why you're so good with your fingers" she teases, one eye brow propped up, a seductive smirk playing out of her lips as she stares down at her lap.


	29. Darling

**Aster's POV**

I pick myself up off the bed and stroll over to the guitar. He was full of mysteries, this one. I run my hand over the neck, collecting specks of dust on my finger.

"Why are you so good at everything?" I murmur, the alcohol in my veins was thrumming now. A slight buzz was still echoing in my head, courtesy of the many feelings my brain had raced through tonight.

"I never said I was good at playing guitar" He says from behind me.

I look around to see him walking closer to me, his eyes on his guitar behind me. He looked slightly drunk too, his silver eyes were glossy and he had a slight pinkness to his cheeks.

"I bet you are" I retort.

He chuckles.

"You're not mad at me?" he asks quietly, now looking at me in the eyes.

I furrow my eyebrows.

"I probably should be. But right now my best friend hates me and my other best friend is heartbroken. I just don't want to think too much to be honest. So no, I'm not mad at you" I ramble, completely aware that, that did not make any sense.

"You're still drunk," he states.

I laugh at his observation.

"You're drunk too" I reply, giving him a cheeky grin.

He shoots his eyebrows up in agreement.

"Maybe you should go to bed" he suggests, digging his hands into his jeans and looking down.

I scoff, the alcohol making my internal thoughts irritatingly external. He looks up questioningly.

"Not all of us get to have a room to ourselves" I start, strolling towards him, "I do not feel like getting into a room with Parkinson and Harper right now. Who knows they've probably already torn each other to pieces?" I mumble.

He tuts and nods his head.

I look at him, one eyebrow cocked. He furrows his eyebrows at my glance.

"Well you did say, you were hoping to see me in your bed tonight" I purr.

He smirks in reply, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

I walk closer to him, and run my hands up his arms and to his shoulders, feeling the cool fabric of his shirt beneath my fingers. He grabs my hips and forcefully pulls me flush against his chest. A breath escapes my lips unexpectedly.

"You're not too drunk you're going to regret this are you?" He whispers, his eyes peering down into mine with a slight tinge of concern.

"I don't think I could ever regret you" I whisper smoothly into his mouth.

He pulls me towards the bed and shuffles himself backwards and to the headboard. I follow him, climbing up onto my knees and framing his hips with them. The bed sinks beneath my knees and I shuffle myself closer to him and sit down on his lap.

"I have a suggestion" I whisper into the silent room.

"Mmm" he murmurs back, his eyes busy roaming my body sitting nicely snug on top of him.

"Do you know the silencing spell?" I mumble, giving him a slight smirk.

He looks up into my eyes and gives me a small chuckle in confirmation.

"My wands over there though, and I really don't want you to get off me" he mumbles, his voice raspy with aversion.

I give him a knowing smile and pull a kneeled leg out from underneath me. My knee high boots squeaks at the movement, and I lean over to unzip one. I pull my wand out from it and give him a wink.

"Well" he says, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Muffliato" I mumble pointing my wand to his door behind me.

"So you do know the spell?" he asks, squeezing his hands on my waist.

"I'm not going to lie, but I'm probably better than you at charms" I say, my drunk brain being extra confident tonight.

He pulls my hips tighter to him in response, his hands digging forcibly into my hip bones. The movement makes my stretched out leg flick back to kneel at his side and my hands find their way to his chest.

"You my darling are a force to be reckoned with" he mutters, his eyes gazed and glossy.

"Darling?" I mutter to myself more than him.

He trails his hands up my sides and underneath my top, his cool fingers sending shivers on my hot skin. He reaches my back and pushes me closer to him. Pulling one hand from my top he cups my jaw and brings me closer to his lips, I pucker my lips ready for a kiss but instead he gently turns my head away from him. He brings his lips to my ear.

"Yes, _darling_ " he whispers.

My eyes automatically roll into the back of my head as his breath travels down my skin.

His lips suddenly make contact with my neck, kissing right under my jaw. I let out a whine, the soft peck making my hot skin feel electric and buzzed. He takes the delicate skin into his mouth and sucks gently. My eyes widen at the action, and my stomach twists and turns erratically at the pull of my skin in his lips.

He adds a touch of roughness, biting slightly at the sensitive part of my neck. My fuzzy brain tries to catch up to what he's doing. Where did this come from?

There was something so sexy and wild about him when he was buried in my neck, his breath rough against my skin. He had no idea he was so good at this.

I peer down at his tight grasp on my hip - his blunt fingernails digging into me, his dull silver ring stark against his flexing veins in his hand.

I tangle my hands into the back of his hair, pulling slightly at the strands. If he was going to be rough with me, I was allowed to get rough with him.

He shuffles into my neck at the tug, pulling his head back up and twisting my head to face his. He looks completely enraged, his eyes flicking with silver flames, his lips slightly swollen.

He crashes his lips against mine, his large hand rubs up and down my side and down towards my thighs. My skirt is bunches up against my hips, so I can feel every movement of him beneath me. His erection presses stubbornly against my pelvis beneath his jeans and I lean forward into his lips and start to grind onto his length.

I go slowly, the denim rough against my naked clit.

He lets out a tough groan into my mouth and I smile in satisfaction.

He kisses me hungrily now, his tongue dancing fiercely with mine. My heart was racing and there a burning ache in my lower stomach. I uncontrollably whimper against his mouth, and unexpectedly feel the need to bite his lip. I nibble on his bottom lip to test the waters. His eyes flick up but instead of surprise, the look deeply lustful and I take that as a sign to keep going.

I've never been rough with previous partners before. Dean was gentle and sensitive, a nice way to have you first sexual partner and the girl I had hooked up with last summer was soft and adventurous but not rough.

I liked the idea of being so full of lust that you couldn't stop yourself from needing them, kissing them, licking them, biting them. I needed him.

I shuffle myself down his thighs slightly so I can place my hands down onto his jeans, I pop the top button open and slowly pull the zipper down. Slightly wiggling to get the zipper over his bulge. He was completely pent up, confined down his left pant leg.

I let his lips find their way back to my neck, his sucking and biting becoming harsher and more erratic. I gently graze my hand over the thin cotton of his boxers, a heavy breath escapes his lips at the action. Keeping the gentle strokes over his tight briefs, he nips at my throat and returns to my lips.

I slide my hand under the cotton material, griping his shaft and pulling it out. His huge length now wrapped in my hand. He pauses his kisses as his heavy breaths take over and I smile. He opens his eyes and looks down at my hand before he gives me an exasperated sigh.

I let him watch me as I gently start to move my hand up and down his erection between us, lifting up slightly so he can get a better view.

His jaw drops slightly, a scratchy moan leaving his throat. I smirk and kiss his jawline.

"Fucking hell Aster" he cusses.

I hum into his skin, leaving wet kisses along his throat. My hand continues to stroke him softly, circling my finger around his top every once in a while. I could feel the ridged of his veins throbbing under my touch.

His hands suddenly grip my cheeks, and he slips his tongue along my bottom lip. I moan in pleasure through my clenched teeth.

I look down at my sinful action, he was rock hard and laced with thumping veins pumping blood. I drew my hand up and down, feeling the ache in my own core thrum.

I let go gently and with one hand balancing myself on his chest, I trace my thumb against his lips. His eyes wide with anticipation, I give him a smirk before I stick two fingers into my mouth coating them with as much salvia as I can. I watch him watch me. I remove my fingers, letting the saliva drip from them and onto his chest. I move them down to his length, and bring my fingers down to his tip. The natural lubricant drapes around him and I pump my hands around his length, rubbing the wetness into his hot skin.

"Holy fu-" Draco murmurs in shock.

I look up to him loosing the battle with pleasure. Distress covers his face, his chest rising up and down underneath my other hand.

His hand grabs the bottom of my crop top, peeling it up off my body he forces me to let go of him and lift my arms up. His erratic eyes waste no time looking down at the sheer texture of my black bra, his jaw goes sharp with hunger as he buries himself in my neck, his lips leaving wet trials behind in journey towards my breasts. I arch my back as I sit on top of him, both of us now sitting up straight on his single bed. I shut my eyes and let my body feel the complete bliss of being touched. His arm wrapped around the middle of my back, I hover my hand slightly behind me and onto his leg, arching my back more and pressing my breasts up to his mouth. He kisses only my cleavage, and I whine with impatience. He chuckles into my chest and I feel his fingers climb their way up towards my bra clasp. With one flick, the bra comes undone and I flick my eyes up at his quickness.

Where did he learn that?

I shake my head, not really wanted to know.

He maneuvers my bra off my arms before he grazes his hand over my breast, very discreetly pinching my nipple between his two fingers. I gasp slightly and I grind my hips closer to him in response.

"I don't think I can take this much longer" he mutters as he takes my nipple into his mouth, sucking before kissing the edge lightly.

I look down and try to tug the tight material of his jeans. I pull them down his thighs and he wiggles a bit to help me with the fickle denim. I go back to his underwear, pulling them off too, letting his bulging erection free. I shuffle down his long legs and pull them both off. He must have taken his shoes off when he got to his room. I look back at my own feet, i must look ridiculous right now, in nothing but knee high boots and a skirt hitched up to my waist.

As if reading my mind he leans over and takes my foot into his hand.

"As much as I love the look of you in just these boots, I think you would be much more comfortable with them off" he remarks, his voice raspy but smooth.

He pulls the long zipper down and pulls the boot off my foot before removing the other one of the other side of his hip.

"Did you want this off too?" he says, tugging the tight leather skirt still bunched up over my hips.

"That can wait" I mumble before reaching under his shirt and pulling it off his long torso.

I sit myself deeper on his soft thighs and in a trance I learn into his lips. His hands lace up to the back of my thighs, while we kiss. Both urgent and forceful with our tongues.

His shaft between our stomachs start to rub a bit from the uncontrolled motion of our hips. In one harsh motion, he grabs my hips and flips me over. Nailing me to the bed beneath him. Hovering above me, with feral eyes he runs his two fingers up the inside of my thigh and to my slit. My lips part automatically as he grazes his fingers across and against my clit.

"You're soaking wet for me darling" he murmurs into my mouth.

He strokes his fingers up and down my core.

"I've been waiting for this all night" he whispers.

"You and me both" I whisper back, in between pants.

"Are you sure you want me to fuck you tonight?" he murmurs.

I look up into his eyes, he bites his lips while he waits for my reply.

"Please " I beg, my stomach clenching in pain.

"Good girl" he whispers.

He pushes my thighs back and further apart, eyes gazing down at my core. My chest heavily rises up and down, my core aching blindingly at this point.

He wraps my thigh around his waist, taking the other and throwing it over his shoulder.

He separates his knees so that he lines up with me, the length of his torso towering between my legs. His blonde hair falls into his eyes as he focuses, his lips parted and wet.

He grabs himself into position, still grasping ahold of my hip.

He takes his wet tip and runs it up and down my slit. I whimper at the tease and I look up to see a sultry smirk on his face.

I shudder as his head grazes my clit. His eyes narrow back down between my legs, lining himself up so he was pressed against my core.

Finally, he pushes his hips forward. My body stretches around his large length, adjusting to his thickness. My breath halters. The alcohol must be making this whole experience feel ten times more exhilarating because I don't think I have felt so pent up before in my life. Last time we were drunk and had sex, I was too caught up in the novelty of it and I know he was too. Tonight was different. Tonight I felt fierce with his touch, like I could sense every movement and spark he sent to my body.

I feel his hips meet the back of my thigh as he thrusts into me a second time. I gasp out at being completely filled, tossing my head back.

"It gets better every time" he mumbles disbelievingly to himself.

I grin up to the ceiling.

He slowly pulls back and rolls forward, both our heavy breaths filling the room with thick air.

I could feel every edge of him slowly driving through me, the ridge of his head, the pulsing veins. It was driving me insane.

I whine into the air above me, my hands grip into the covers underneath me.

"Draco-" I moan his name as he fills me again, pushing harder this time.

I look up to see him rocking his body into mine, his eyes heavy.

He pulls my legs off his shoulder, sliding it down and threading it around his waist like the other one. He traces his hands up on my stomach and grips the sides of my waist. I arch my back into his grip.

"Can I go harder?" he asks me, his lip between his teeth.

"Fuck yes" I murmur back.

He moves his hips with more rhythm, faster than before. He swears under his breath as he picks up the speed, and a swirling warmth of pleasure coils in my lower stomach. Building fast.

He thrusts in and out of me, each pump harder than the last. His hands grip tighter on my wait and I groan as I feel his ring dig deeper into my skin.

He rolled his hips in a different manner, hitting a spot i didn't even know existed.

"Jesus fucking Christ" I yell out, moving my hands to his back and gripping hard.

"Does that feel good?" he murmurs sultry into my ear.

"Yes, right there" I mumble in between heated pants. I wire my eyes shut as he continues to thrust deeper into me, hitting the spot again and again until I feel my legs tense around his hips.

"Open your eyes" he demands.

I obey and find him looking down at me, his eyes heavy and his lips still slightly parted.

I whine out at the increase in speed, tossing my head back again and clenching my thighs tighter. It was like there was no oxygen left in the room, my pants started to grow raspier and heavier after every thrust.

He had a great way of mixing his aggression with delicate touches. He thrusts deeply into me, angling himself so that every spot he hit sent my nerves on fire, but his hands grasped me softly. His fingers tickled against my waist, his touch sending a different type of fire up my skin. An icy kind, like he was prickling my nerves instead of torching them.

His jaw started to clench, and his eyes rolled to the back of head in pleasure.

He relieved his hands from my waist and instead roamed them down my stomach and to my bum. Sweat was coating both of our bodies now, yet I could still smell his sweet scent in the air.

I had a sudden urge cripple through my body. In one smooth moment I grab onto his neck and quickly pull him around and on top of me. Shock rained down on his face as he stares up at me, his dick still inside of me, my legs now buried into the bed and on either side of his hips. On my knees in a straddle, I lower myself down deeper onto him. The angle making me toss my head back and moan in pleasure. I hold his bare hips in support, rocking myself up and down.

Every roll of my hips created a new spot of blissful discomfort. The sort of discomfort that makes your body shiver from the inside out.

My hair hits the back of my head as I toss my head back again.

"You are so fucking beautiful" Draco murmurs. I look back up and find him staring at me, his eyes wide and hungry.

He's slightly elevated on his pillows so I rock my hips into his roughly this time. He knocks back into the pillows with a groan.

His hips rotate slightly with mine, creating a forceful rhythm. I grab his thighs behind me, arching my back to get the full angle perfect. His hand run up my sides and cup my breasts, flicking his finger across a nipple.

I start to lift myself slightly off him and back down again, giving him a sort of friction different from before. I look up to find his mouth slightly agape, looking down between us, at me moving up and down on him. He sits up further, slightly changing the angle.

With the intense building of friction happening in my lower stomach, I lean slightly forward and onto his hard chest. His defined abs, probably from all that quidditch, tense under my hot hands. He grabs my wrists and pulls one behind my back placing in on his leg, before he pulls the other one back behind me. He holds them together with one hand, so my back is arched, and places his other hand on my hip.

I bounce my hips faster, nailing him to the bed beneath us. The bed frame creaking ever so slightly with our roughness.

I stammer our a heavy moan as the intensity increases again.

"Fuck" he cries out, loosing control and grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me towards his chest. This sudden change in angle makes my gasp into his neck.

I cry out in pleasure, the position intense and slowly deteriorating the feelings in my legs. I whimper into his neck again, and feel his lips graze my jaw slightly.

I take his lips with mine, desperate for the feverish heat to transfer from my lips to his. He moans as we kiss and I feel a shiver travel down my spine. I continue to slide up and down on him, feeling his length get deeper and deeper after every thrust.

Suddenly, Draco moves underneath me. He cups my ass in his large hands and shuffles off to the side of the bed, him still inside of me. I gasp at the movement.

"What are you doing?" I ask, trying to keep my breaths even.

"I like you fucking me but I'm in desperate need to fuck _you_ ".


	30. The Desk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favourite chapters, so I dedicate this to my most loyal Wattpad followers @icecubewater & @sweetcreatwhore

**Aster's POV**

Draco pushes himself off the bed, lifting me with him. In one swift movement, he's gliding across the room and perching me on his desk. The wood is cool beneath my bare bum, I don't even get a second to adjust to the changed position before he slides himself deeper into me. He stands at the edge of his desk, the desk grand enough that the he's perfectly level with me. 

"Much better" He murmurs, giving me a little smirk. 

I can't gather enough breath to reply. My hands slick with sweat as I grapple onto his shoulders while he continues to bury himself into me. I lean slightly backwards, balancing myself with one hand behind me, making the angle that he pounds into me hit the sweet spot. 

"I've been dreaming about doing this to you for a while now" he mutters, his eyes drunk. 

"Mmmm?" I'm able to mumble between my gasps. 

He chuckles at my inability to speak. 

"On my desk, on my bed, everywhere" 

He grips my hips harder and the tension underneath his hands ripples under my skin and to my centre. 

As if he senses the tension fizzle underneath my skin, he drags himself out of me and slowly enters back in. I arch my back at the gradual intensity, the slow movement just after a hard push making my body shake. 

He drags himself out and in again, painstakingly slow but agonisingly fulfilling. I pinch my eyes shut as I start to shake in the groin. He brings his fingers to my chin and tilts my head to face him. I look up and find his eyes blazing into mine, full of need. 

This was a different type of build to an orgasm, it was slow and calm. 

He takes the opportunity to kiss my parted lips, snaking his hand underneath my bum and pulling my closer so that our skin presses tightly against each other. 

"C'mon Aster..." he encourages, my climax near. 

I start to whine, gripping his shoulders for stability. I press my forehead against his and keep my eyes pinched shut, moving his hips forward slowly again I groan in frustration. My whole body starts to tense, and I grasp blindly at his biceps. 

"Dra-" I couldn't even finish my words. 

"Yes darling..." he whispers back. 

I suck in a deep breath and finally feel that gradual build reach its peak, flinching when I release my orgasm all around him with my core pulsating. He stops moving his hips for a second, and I look up to him, awe is displayed on his face. I gap at him, confused. 

"Fucking hell Flint" he replies before he pushes himself into me with so much force the desk rocks against the wall. I gasp out in shock. 

He groans as he picks up the pace. I grapple onto his arms again, and slightly dig my nails into his skin. He rocks into me so hard, my legs buckle from exhaustion and I'm not even the one standing up.

His moans turn grave and hoarse, and the sound makes my stomach twist and turn with heat. 

I watch as his eyes go glassy, his orgasm obviously near. In that moment, I decide to play. 

"You feel so good in me" I murmur, letting my words drag out seductively. 

His eyes flick open wide. 

I give him a smirk before continuing, "I want you to cum inside of me but only when I say so" I add. 

His eyes go slightly wide, his iris dark and large. He gives me a small smirk. 

He pounds faster into me, lowering his lips to my neck and sucking on the sweet spot between my ear and my jugular. 

I moan loudly, letting the sound reverberate against his lips. 

He groans in response. 

I feel his thrusts getting harder and his hands grip harshly against my hips. _I'm probably going to have bruises there tomorrow._

"Not yet" I tease, watching as his jaw tenses in anticipation for his release. 

He gives me a maddening groan. 

I smile before I lift his head up and give him a gentle bite to his bottom lip. 

"Kiss me" I whisper into his mouth. 

He does as I say, placing his lips softly on mine before gently opening them up for his tongue. He tongue lavishly licks against mine and I cant help by whimper into his mouth. 

"Cum for me" I whisper as I leave his mouth behind and look into his eyes. He watches me, his face tense with frustration. 

He pounds harder into me, my centre still straining around his length. 

Suddenly, I feel his cock tense inside me, and he fills me with him release. He collapses on top of me, muttering my name into my ear with pleasure. At the intense pressure of his release into me, my walls shudder and I feel myself shiver with response. 

He brings himself straight, lifting his hands from my hips and onto my thighs, now resting on the desk. 

"How?" he asks, out of breath. 

I look at him confused. 

"What?" I ask, my hands still grappled on his biceps. 

"How does that get better every time?" he asks, his face serious. 

I laugh. 

"I have no idea" I breath out. 

He smiles at me before he releases himself. He steps back, but leans forward and kisses me sweetly on the lips. He walks over to his dresser, giving me a grand view of his tight ass and pulls our a small towel. He comes back and hands it to me. 

"If you need to clean up." He mutters, a red-pink glow spreading on his cheeks. 

I give him a shy smile before hoping up from the desk and wiping the leaking remnants from my thigh. 

"You're being very kind tonight" I say gravely. 

"I'm always kind" He adds, giving me a cheeky grin. 

He pulls a fresh pair of boxers from his chest of drawers at the end of his bed. As he slides his new pair on, I pull my forgotten leather skirt down from my hips and fix it straight. 

He looks up at me, peering down at my skirt. 

"Do you want to stay?" he asks timidly. 

I raise my eyebrows at him. 

"Well I did say I wanted to see you in my bed tonight" he adds, cocking his eyebrow. 

I chuckle, "I thought you meant you wanted to fuck me in your bed".

He smirks, "Well I did, but I also wouldn't mind if you stayed"

I look down at my skirt, it would be awfully uncomfortable sleeping in this. 

"I can give you some boxers to wear, and a t-shirt" he interrupts. 

"I'll need to set an alarm" I answer. 

He grins, happiness spreading throughout his face. 

"Easy" he answers before grabbing me a clean pair of black boxers and swiping a fresh t-shirt. 

It's a dark green Quidditch training t-shirt. I pull it over my head and find it sits just above my knees. I take the boxers from his hands and awkwardly pull them on. 

I look up to find him staring at me. 

"What?" I ask, suddenly very self-conscious. 

"You look really hot in my clothes" he breathes, bringing his knuckles to his teeth. 

I roll my eyes but inside my stomach flips. I don't think anyone has every looked at me with that much lust. 

"You're blushing" he adds, giving me his classic smirk. 

I push his side, but he grabs my arm before I can lean my weight into him. He pulls me towards him instead. 

I look up. I watch as his hand hovers against my face and tucks a loose curl behind my ear. 

"I'm royally fucked, aren't I?" he asks me timidly, his eyes soft. 

I screw my nose up in confusion. 

"You make me feel all sorts of things" he answers. 

My stomach drops. 

Before I realise what I'm doing, I'm latching my lips onto his in answer. He groans into my lips and pulls away. 

"If we start again, I wont be able to stop" he says into my mouth, his eyes looking straight into mine. 

I give him a smile and instead pull his hand towards the bed. 

"Lets sleep then" 

I hear him pick up his wand and mutter _'nox',_ the few sconces in his room dim from the spell. 

I climb into his bed and shuffle myself under the soft duvet. 

I look up to find him awkwardly standing next to the bed. The only light coming from the small fire on the opposite side of the room. 

I move one pillow to one side of the bed and the other closely next to it, the fold on top of each other in the middle, the bed too small for two pillows to sit neatly side by side. I tap the pillow nearest to him. 

"C'mon" I say impatiently. 

He stands still, and I watch as his silver eyes flick back and forth to the two pillows. 

"I've- I've never slept with a girl before" he whispers. 

It takes me a second to realise that he means he's never slept next to a girl before. I smile, my heart warming. 

"It's not that bad trust me" 

He looks up into my eyes, "you've slept with someone before?" He asks, worry flickers in his face. 

I stammer, "No, I haven't actually. I just meant, I'm sure I'm not that bad to sleep next to". 

His eyes go soft again and I hear him loose a breath. 

He picks his duvet up and slides himself in next to me. The bed is tight with the two of us and I roll onto my side so that I can fit comfortably. 

"Do you mind?" I ask, gesturing to how close I was. 

He looks down apprehensively before deciding what to reply with. 

"C'm here" he says instead, motioning for me to nestle into the nook of his arm. 

I do what he says, breathing in his comforting scent. His warm body instantly makes me relax and I can already start to feel my eyelids flutter with exhaustion. I close my eyes softly and listen to his steady breathing. 

"Can I tell you something?" he murmurs. 

"Mmm" I say into his chest. 

"I've only ever kissed another girl once" 

My eyes open wide. 

"You've kissed Pansy though?" 

"I've only ever kissed her once, all the other times we did....other stuff" he explains. 

I crinkle my eyebrows, bewildered. 

"You never kissed when you were having sex?" I ask. 

"Nope" he murmurs, popping the p with his lips. 

I look up at him, leaning my hand onto his chest. His drowsy eyes search mine. 

"But you were the one to kiss me first?" 

"Yeah I just couldn't help myself" he chuckles nervously. 

"Why didn't you like kissing Pansy?" I ask. 

"It wasn't Pansy per say, it just felt too intimate with her. Like I was giving her something that I couldn't deliver on" 

I wait for him to continue. 

"I didn't like her the way she liked me. I also didn't trust her." 

I nod gently, letting his words sink in. 

"So you think I like you the same way you like me?" I ask. 

He mumbles a yes, his eyes now looking up at the ceiling. 

"Even though you kept trying to push me away at first?" I press. 

He mumbles another yes, still avoiding my gaze. 

I bring my fingers to his chin and tilt his head. He looks at me, his eyes filled with worry. 

"What were you so scared of?" I ask, wondering what that has to do with him pushing me away. If he liked me and he thought I liked him back, then why try and stop us?

He grumbles, his chest shaking beneath me. 

"I've never liked someone before, I didn't know what to do" he admits. 

"Well normally, when you like someone you're nice to them" I chuckle nervously. 

"I am nice to you" he says, his eyes light up a bit and I give him a smile. 

"You've only just started being nice to me" I add, pushing him slightly on his chest. 

"I'm learning!" he retorts. 

I give him a gentle peck on his lips before nestling back into his arm. 

"I'm trying Ast," he adds before I feel his breath start to slow. 

I let his words travel around the empty room, and close my eyes. 

_This boy was going to be the end of me._


	31. The Apple

**Draco's POV**

I woke up to an unfamiliar heaviness on my chest.

Aster.

I was still laid out on my back, her cheek squished against my left side, her face slightly turned up as she slept. I watched as she breathed deeply, her small button nose blowing out air, her eyelashes fluttering ever so slightly.

I turn my neck careful not to wake her. The clock read 6:05am.

I needed to wake her up soon if she was going to get back to her room without being seen. I opened my mouth but quickly shut it. I couldn't interrupt her, she looked too peaceful.

Last night was insane. The bar, finding her in my room, _the desk._

I look over at my desk, flashbacks of her moaning beneath me flicker in my head. I try hard not to wiggle beneath her as my morning wood starts to squeeze against my boxers.

I also wasn't too drunk last night to not remember what I said. My secret about kissing, my inexperience and insecurities about being close to someone. I had never told anyone that before. To be honest, I've never talked about how I felt out loud. Not even with my parents. Definitely not with my father.

Aster seemed like she was from a family that openly talked about anything and everything. The way she so confidently carried out deep conversations as if she was asking you about your day. It was so easy for her. I didn't know anything about her family though, to be completely honest I didn't know much about her. This dark haired beauty sleeping in my bed.

I feel her stir on top of me. I watch as she moves her head up, her eyes flicker open stubbornly.

Abruptly, she pushes herself up from the bed and off me. I push myself up with my forearms in immediate response.

"What's the time?!" she panics.

She twists round to look for my clock.

"It's 6am" I reply, still watching her wide swollen eyes try to take in the morning light.

"Oh thank god" she mumbles, stretching her legs underneath the tumbled sheets.

She rubs one eye aggressively before she finally looks at me.

"Sorry did I wake you?" she asks, her eyes still squinting.

"No I was awake"

She gives me a soft smile before shuffling herself out of my bed. She was still a sight to behold in my Quidditch training shirt and black boxers, even with her messy morning hair and puffy eyes.

I probably looked hideous.

I brush my hair back with my hands and blink harshly a few times, desperate to get the sleep out of my eyes. I crack my knuckles with a pop and lean myself against the bed frame.

She watches me crack my knuckles, still in a daze from waking up.

I shoot an eyebrow up.

She shakes her head before collecting her things from my floor, picking up her boots and shoving them underneath her arm.

"Did you sleep ok?" I ask timidly.

"I did actually" she replies, shuffling her belongings in her hands.

"You?" she asks.

"Yep" I chuckle.

She smiles to the ground and I watch as a reddish tinge appears on her cheek bones.

"I should go" she says, pointing to the door.

"I'll see you later?" I ask, not sure how this works anymore.

She nods, biting her lip in reply. I watch as she flicks her wand to open the door. She sticks her head out and before I know it, she's gone.

**Aster's POV**

I was still in daze when I slipped back into my room.

Last night was running through my head, the bar, Harper, Blaise, Draco's room, _the desk._

He surprises me every time.

Everyone's asleep when I tiptoe to my bed. Once I'm comfortable in my bed, I turn to my side and watch as Harper's chest rises and falls, her breathing gentle and peaceful. The sight makes my heart ache and I just hope that when she wakes she will apologise to Blaise and we can all move on.

I turn on my back and stare at the ceiling and try to take my mind back to Draco. His hands, his lips, the scent of peppermint and apple, his bed.

I woke up to the intrusive sound of a trunk being slammed shut. I whip my head up to find Pansy spritzing her pungent perfume on to her neck. I groan.

"So you actually made it back alive?" Pansy ridicules.

I shove my head back into my pillow.

"Saw your bed empty and your crazy friend already in her bed last night and thought maybe she finally offed you" Pansy jokes.

I roll my eyes. I did not have the energy for this. A small headache was brewing in the back of my temple.

"Fuck off" I groan inaudibly into my pillow.

I hear her laugh smugly.

I pull my arms out from under the covers and twist round to my bedside table. It was 8:16am.

"Since when did you have a Quidditch shirt?" Pansy inquires from behind me.

My eyes go wide in shock as I realise I'm still wearing Draco's clothes. Fuck. I roll back around and pull the covers up to my chest.

I look up to find Pansy standing at the end of her bed, arms on her hips and her beady eyes narrowed.

"Um it was my dads," I mutter quickly.

She frowns but turns away satisfied with my answer.

I let out a soft sigh and take out my pillow from under my head and press it into my face in frustration.

I had a feeling today was going to be tough.

Once Pansy finally leaves and the only sound I can hear is the crackling of the roaring fire to my left, I peel the covers off and climb out of bed.

I stare down at myself. How do I return his clothes?

Once I've finally changed into a pair of leather trousers and a comfy white knitted crop I stare at myself in the mirror. My eyes are still puffy from last night and my hair is a tousled mess.

I brush the stubborn knots from my hair and apply a bit of concealer, mascara and eyeliner before I finally head out. Normally, Harper waits for me to go to breakfast, but I figured she must need some time to herself after last night.

The castle has a slight buzz to it every Saturday morning, students casually hang around in hallways in their casual wear waiting for something to do. The Great Hall is buzzing, and the comforting smell of bacon drifts around the tall walls.

I find Blaise slumped over a pile of half-eaten pancakes. I stare at the pancakes and a sense of despair washes over me.

"Hey" I mumble, as I make myself comfortable next to him. I pick up a nearby pitcher of orange juice and fill my goblet.

"Hey" Blaise replies, just as lackluster as my own greeting.

"Um...where's Harper?" I ask hesitantly.

He looks up and stares down the table, his eyes dim and sad.

My eyebrows furrow as I take his expression in. I follow his eyesight and find Harper animatedly talking to Fred and George, a stack of syrupy pancakes in front of her. I don't think she's ever not had breakfast without us.

I frown.

"Why.." I start, my words dwindling off into the cool air as the realisation starts to sink in.

"Yep" Blaise answers me.

"Is she really still mad at us? " I ask, not sure if I want to know the real answer.

Blaise slowly bites into his own pancakes and chews.

I watch Harper as she throws her head back laughing.

"She walked straight past me when she came in, I called her name and everything but still totally ignored me" Blaise says after he swallows.

I look back at Blaise, his eyes soft as he takes in Harper.

Fuck.

"What are we going to do?" I ask him .

This has never happened before. We have arguments for sure, but she normally comes straight back to us, apologies and we end up making some sort of joke about it.

"I guess we let her process it all. Maybe she will realise that she needs us right now." He mutters.

"What's wrong with her mum?" I ask, suddenly remembering what Blaise had spat out last night.

"My mum told me, she has a heart condition. She's been in hospital for months"

"Months?" I ask, gob smacked.

He nods, his eyes down at his pancakes.

"Why wouldn't she tell us that?" I ask dumbfounded.

Before Blaise has a chance to reply, Draco walks in. His hands buried in his black jeans, he looks up when he enters and finds my eyes. They slip to Blaise and I see a slight hesitancy. I look over to Blaise also staring at Malfoy.

Draco strolls by and sits further up the table, next to Montague and Crabbe.

"I saw him when I got back last night" I murmur quietly.

Blaise looks at me and gives me a suggestive eyebrow raise.

"I mean, I told him you know and you won't blab" I reply frustrated, giving him a hard shove.

He chuckles.

"I won't tell anyone" He confirms.

"We also did a whole lot of not talking" I whisper under my breath, smiling at Blaise chokes on his pancakes.

"Didn't need to know that" he laughs into his goblet.

I half-heartedly laugh but my mind wanders to Harper, still sitting with Fred and George, seemingly happy.

I look back down the table and find Draco, himself also laughing gently as his mates chat.

"Guess it's just the two of us for a while?" I mutter to Blaise, as I pick up a piece of toast.

"We'll be alright Ast," He replies, giving my arm a squeeze.

**Draco's POV**

I end up getting a letter at breakfast from my Father.

Something I really could have down without this weekend.

He mentions Christmas and how he would like for me to come home for the full 2 weeks. I would rather not, but I knew that I would have to anyway, I've always had to.

His tone seems a little more fretful in his letter and I wonder why he's so desperate for me to come home. Montague came back a few weeks ago from having been sent home and he mentioned something about his parents being secretive and hushed the whole time. He never explained why he was sent home but I got the impression it had something to do with our fathers.

Death Eaters.

Something I try not to think about.

I guess it was common knowledge now that my father was a Death Eater. Thanks to Harry fucking Potter.

Ever since I started hooking up with Aster, I hadn't had much to do with Potter.

But fuck, if he just handed himself over to the Dark Lord, my life would be so much fucking easier.

I just wanted to get lost in Aster's lips, forget about that bullshit.

I look over and find Aster nibbling on her toast. She seemed tired, sad almost. I wonder if it was to do with last night. Did she regret it now? She was a bit tipsy last night, we both were.

I follow her gaze to Bainbridge, sitting squished up next to Fred Weasley. I grimace.

Maybe she was still fighting with Bainbridge? She was sitting next to Zabini, so at least she had him to be with.

I wasn't sure how I felt about Zabini knowing about us. He was the only one that knew we were hooking up. I guess it was a good thing that Zabini had the hots for Bainbridge instead of Aster. Fuck knows why he would choose Bainbridge over Aster. That girl couldn't even compare to Aster Flint.

I wonder what she did with my clothes? She could fucking keep them to be honest, I wouldn't mind seeing her in them again.

Montague interrupts my unabating thoughts with a shove to my arm.

"Fuck" I grunt.

"Dude wake the fuck up. We have Quidditch this afternoon, I need you fucking conscious"

I roll my eyes and dig my fork into the bacon on my plate.

Today's Quidditch game was a tough one against Gryffindor. Infuriatingly, Potter had been named captain this year and had a whole team of irritating players.

I wonder if Aster was going to come and watch?

After a long alcoholic-fueled night, I was starving. I shoveled my breakfast down my throat and was still hungry. I look up the table to find the fruit bowl, it was a few too many seats away so I pick myself up from the bench and walk the the center of the long table. I spy a perfectly green apple and I smile to myself as I remember what Aster smelt in Potions the other week. Green apples and peppermint. That girl could not have been more obvious if she tried.

I look up slightly to find Aster staring at the fruit bowl, her cheeks pink and splotchy, her green eyes wide. I lean over towards the fruit bowl, one hand perched on the table to keep my balance as I reach for a perfect green apple. I raise one of my eyebrows, taunting her. She looks up, her mouth perfectly parted as I bring the apple to my mouth and take a huge bite. The whole time, watching her watch me.

**Aster's POV**

How does he make eating an apple look so hot?

He bites into the green flesh and I hear the crunch from just seats away. My mouth goes slightly dry as I realise what he's doing.

I smelt green apples that day in potions.

He was deliberately doing this.

I mean, I guess I deserve it after the sugar quill incident.

I feel my cheeks grow hotter, as he's grey eyes stare into mine, a glittering tease twinkles in them.

"Aster" a voice echoes next to me .

I tear my eyes away from Draco's and focus them on Blaise.

He looks at me amused.

"What?" I ask annoyed.

"He was just getting an apple. What's so fucking blush-worthy about that?" he teases, his eyes crinkling with humour.

"Fuck off" I murmur, my cheeks warm from embarrassment.  
  
  



	32. Slytherin Vs Gryffindor

**Draco's POV**

The Quidditch changing rooms was filled with angsty players and a very angry captain. Montague was frothing at the mouth, his bulging eyes bloodshot.

"This is Gryffindor, we can beat them to a pulp we don't need to play by the exact rules here! If you just do as I say we can fucking win!" he yells to the team gathered around him.

_What a pep talk._

I absentmindedly listen to him drone on about plays and how we can knock them off their brooms without being caught. I don't really need to listen to this bullshit anyway, all I needed to do was focus on catching the snitch.

I re-lace my sneakers, my hands desperate to be busy. The rest of the team pick themselves up and make their way to the pitch, with only 5 minutes to go until the games start I quickly re-lace the other sneaker, pulling the shoelace tight.

"Hey!" a high-pitched voice calls from the changing room door.

I look up to find the changing room empty, confused I stare at the door, my eyes searching for whoever called.

I walk over to the door, collecting my broomstick on the way. As soon as I pass the threshold, my sleeve is being yanked from my arm and my body crashes against the wall just outside the door.

"What the fu-" I yell, before my eyes find a familiar set of green eyes staring back at me. I immediately grin as I realise who it is.

She grins back, her eyes laughing at the fact she caught me by surprise.

"Well I mean I don't have a lot of time but I guess we could make out for a few minutes?" I tease, giving her my best smirk.

She rolls her eyes at me but a smile stays wide on her face.

"I just wanted to say good luck" she says quietly, her cheeks pink but her emerald eyes confident.

I can't help but genuinely smile at her. A small warmth spreads throughout my chest.

"Didn't know if you were going to come watch" I admit.

She steps closer to me, and I watch as her hands find their way between my Quidditch robes and up my chest. I try not to shiver under her close touch.

"Oh I'll definitely be watching" she says seductively.

I cock my eyebrow at her in question.

"There's just something about you in your quidditch uniform" she murmurs under her breath, her eyes looking me up and down with satisfaction.

I chuckle. I bring my hands up to her jaw and tilt her head up. Her green eyes glisten with admiration and I have to really stop myself from just devouring her here and now.

"How about I meet you after the game?" I whisper, now staring at her luscious plump lips.

They were so pink and enticing.

"Ok where?" she asks, her own eyes staring at my lips.

"Here?"

"Here? Where everyone can see us together?" she asks, her wide eyes now looking up into mine with confusion.

"Come once everyone is gone. They usually leave after about an hour." I explain.

She nods with my hand still tilting her jaw, my thumb brushing her cheek.

She leans up and presses her lips to mine, a soft gentle kiss that makes my toes curl.

"Good luck" she whispers before she pulls away.

I watch as she wanders back to the stands.

I better fucking win this game.

**Aster's POV**

I find Blaise pushed up against the railing on the second level. This particular game always brings out a crowd and I can't help but be anxious for Draco.

Blaise has his coat wound tightly around him, his Slytherin scarf wrapped in a knot around his neck. He hasn't talked much today but I haven't really been in the mood either. We both ended up finishing some homework in the common room before the game.

I haven't seen Harper around and I don't plan to for a while. I contemplated trying to find her at lunch but Blaise convinced me to leave her alone for a while.

"Did you find your boyfriend?" Blaise teases, shuffling over to give me room against the railing.

I pull my scarf around my neck tighter, the solid cold breeze heavier up in the skies.

"He's not my boyfriend. I don't do boyfriends remember?" I say, giving him an evil eye.

He raises his eyebrows but doesn't push.

Draco is not my boyfriend. The whole concept of Draco being in a committed relationship actually makes me want to laugh. After what he told me last night, he can barely commit to a kiss.

I had no idea he hadn't had much experience in kissing, he surely didn't kiss like it. A huge part of me was thrilled he hadn't felt anything for Pansy. But I knew I couldn't think too much about it all. He just kissed me because he's attracted to me that's all. It seems like he doesn't really know how to interpret his emotions.

Finally the game starts, the crowd yells and screams, every student rooting for either team. The game ends up being messy, with Gryffindor players being knocked from their brooms and Slytherin players getting knocked in the head with bludgers. At one point, Fred dangles from his broom after being knocked by Montague and the crowd heckles Montague for a good five minutes. I look around the crowd for Harper, but can't see her anywhere. Maybe she's hanging out with the Gryffindor's.

The game is tight and I can't help but search the clouded grey skies for Draco. It's hard to see seekers on a good day, so when I spy Potter zipping through the goals on one side I gasp. He's found the snitch. I frantically search for Draco but can't see him anyway, my heart sinks.

"Where is he?!" Blaise shouts in my ear. Both of us searching the pitch for Draco's white hair and his seeker jersey.

Suddenly, a green blur shoots past and heads straight towards Potter. We all collectively gasp as we watch Malfoy and Potter go head to head for the snitch. Both of them inches away from clasping the small golden sphere into their outstretched hands.

Without any warning, I feel a heavy force hit the back of my head. My eyesight starts to blur and I feel my feet slip from underneath me. One second, I see Blaise's face hover above me, his eyes distraught, and then the next second I see nothing.

\--

I wake up, a pounding ache heavy on the back of my head. My eyes feel heavy and sore, and I blink a few times to ease the dryness.

I find myself in the hospital wing. White iron-railed beds line the walls, a dusty blue curtain rack covers one side of my bed. I try to lift my head off of the pillow but the heaviness tips my head back down.

"Hey be still" I hear a deep voice say from my left side.

I slowly turn my head and find Blaise sitting in a lone chair, his coat tossed onto the back of it.

"What happened?" I ask him, my voice coming out croaky.

"Someone hit you on the back of the head at the game. I didn't see who it was, because I was trying to catch you before you hit the floor."

I squint my eyes as I try to remember.

"Why would they hit me?"

"I think it was an accident but it was a pretty bad knock. Madam Pomfrey gave you some medicine for the concussion so you should feel a bit better soon. She told me you have to stay here for the next few hours for it to work though" he says, his hands fiddle with his scarf.

My eyes feel heavy again and I close them.

"How long have I been here?" I ask him.

"A few hours. She gave you something to help you sleep"

"Has um- Has Harper come by?" I ask hesitantly.

I head Blaise shuffle awkwardly in his chair and I open my eyes to find his face scrunched up.

"No" he whispers.

I feel my heart drop. I raise a hand to my head, the pounding suddenly very intense.

"Are you ok?" Blaise asks concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You can go if you like, I think I might just sleep for a bit" I say, feeling rather deflated.

I've only been in the hospital wing a few times during my time at Hogwarts. Once because I got the mumps, the second time was visiting Blaise after he got knocked out by a badly produced stunning spell in class and the third time was when I visited Harper, when she broke her nose trying to play Quidditch. Every time, we had all been there for each other. Sometimes even staying back in the visiting hours, when we could bribe Madam Pomfrey with some free chocolates.

It felt odd not having Harper here to keep me company. Blaise was more than fine, but it was always the three of us. I wasn't used to it just being two. It felt lonely.

Blaise gets up and wraps his coat round his arm. He drops his arm to squeeze my hand.

I give him a small smile and watch as he walks out.

I close my eyes and listen to the chirping birds outside the window behind me and the rattling of the medicine trays echoing from the opposite side of the room. The small sounds jingle in my head, making the huge thumping more prominent.

Why wasn't this medicine working?

I find myself gritting my teeth and squeezing my eyes shut, desperate for the pain to disappear. Before I know it, I feel the strong pull of the medicine I had been given and I'm drifting off into a deep and peaceful sleep.

**Draco's POV**

I wait awkwardly in the changing rooms, dodging the odd questions about why I'm taking so long to leave and instead packing up the gear and slowly taking of my sneakers.

Where is she?

Maybe she decided not to come after all. Maybe this was getting too much for her? Seeing me after just last night.

I screw my nose up in disgust at myself. How could I let myself get so attached to her? She was just measly half-blood for crying out loud.

I rip my laces out of my shoes in frustration and throw them at the metal lockers on the opposite side of the room.

Why would she like me? I literally have nothing going for myself. It's not like we could even be together for real, she's an outcaste half-blood and I'm a pure-blooded Malfoy. My family was one of the most important pure-blooded lines in the magic world. We were basically royals.

Maybe It would be good for me to go away at Christmas? Get some distance between us and maybe things will just fizzle out. Maybe she will find a real boyfriend or even girlfriend over the break. Someone nice, normal and just like her.

I tear my uniform off my body and shove it into my locker. The game was terrible. I lost us the game because of fucking Potter.

I wasn't even enjoying Quidditch anymore. It was more of a hassle than anything, going to training twice a week, putting on this stupid fucking uniform. I only did it because dad has demanded I play. Said it was a rite of passage for us Malfoys. Bullshit if you ask me.

Except Aster said she liked me in my uniform?

No fuck it. I wasn't doing this anymore.

I pull on a black jumper and black jeans and decide to head straight to bed. I wasn't in the mood to hang around and get ridiculed and cussed at by everyone in the team. I had blocked out their groans and moans after the match at the excitement of seeing Aster. Now i realise I was delusional. You should never get your hopes up.

Expectation is the root of all heartache.

On the way to the common room, I pass by Harper. Her head buried in her hands as Fred rubs her back. The both sit in a small alcove outside Potions, one place I've seen both her and Aster sit in before.

I slow down so I can hear what Fred's saying.

"Go see her"

"I can't" Harper blubbers, her chest heaving into her knees.

"You can, I heard someone say she's fine and she was just hit on the head. She's probably sleeping" Fred murmurs, his hand drawing circles on Harper's back.

I walk pass them without them realising, but before I come out of earshot I hear Aster's name.

"Aster will wake up and see me" Harper sniffles.

What happened?

I pick up my pace to the common room, my heart racing in my chest.

The common room is full of students with their Slytherin memorabilia on from the match. A few people glare at me when I enter and I tell them to fuck off before I punch them in the face. Could this day get any worse?

I find Crabbe and Goyle muttering angrily at each other near the stairway to the dorms. Parkinson laughs snidely at something Bulstrode says in her ear.

Before I storm past them, I hear Pansy announce something to the group.

"Hey guys did you hear that Flint got her ass knocked out from beneath her at the game!?" Pansy shrieks, the two girls cackling.

Crabbe snickers before replying, "Who did that?"

"I don't know, but she full on blacked out and she's in the hospital wing now" she chuckles.

My stomach drops.

"Malfoy, where the fuck you been? Been crying about losing us the game?" Montague yells, appearing from behind me.

I feel my blood rise and my temper starts to crack.

"You know what Montague, fuck you" I spit before I send my fist flying at his ugly face.


	33. Bruises

**Draco's POV**

My fist connected with Montagues face and a sharp pain reverberated down my hand and into my shoulder. Quidditch kept me fit but I knew as soon as I threw that punch that Montague would hit me back harder. He was a chaser, and I knew he had a good arm on him. Luckily Montague's IQ was nowhere near as high as mine, so once I recoiled my hand, I swerved to my right and watched Montagues fist fly past me. I pull a left hook and hit his cheek with a _thwack._ He stumbles back but doesn't relent, instead he pushes forward and throws another punch. This time I'm not fast enough to completely dodge it and he hits me square in the shoulder.

Adrenaline was coursing through my veins and I felt the pure hotness of blood boil under my skin. I heard Pansy cry out in the background as Montague retaliated but I didn't hear Zabini come up from behind me. Zabini grabs my shoulders and pulls me back, I struggle against his taller frame. I watch as Montague also gets pulled back by Crabbe, his square jaw clenched with rage, his eyes glaring straight at me and a huge mark from my ring indented in his fat cheek.

"What the fuck?!" I yell at Zabini, twisting from his grasp. He lets go as soon as Crabbe pulls Montague further away form us.

I twist round and push Zabini away from me.

"We all know that would have ended badly" Zabini shrugs, his tone unbothered with my raised voice.

I clench my fists and wince. My fist was sore from the punch, my knuckles were stinging.

"Why would you care!?" I shout at him.

"Fuck Malfoy, I don't know. But I'm sure Aster wouldn't want to see you lying knocked out next to her in the hospital wing" he retorts.

I flinch as soon as he says her name.

I spin round and see Crabbe pulling Montague to the couch, Pansy touching his already bruised face.

I scoff. They're all too busy codling Montague to even care about me now.

"Is she ok?" I ask quietly, clenching my fists over and over again. Letting the sharp pain distract me.

Zabini looks taken aback from my question and I shoot my eyebrow at him in annoyance.

"Uh yeah she will be ok, she's just sleeping. She got a concussion"

"How?" I ask, trying not to look him in the eyes. Instead I look down at my shoulder, and try to rotate it. Nope. Sharp pains shoot down my arm.

"They think it was an accident, someone just hit her head while everyone was watching you and Potter go head to head"

"So you're saying it was my fault?" I quickly say back, my adrenaline still making my blood boil.

"No!" Zabini quickly replies, shaking his head.

"I think someone did it on purpose, I don't know why but it seemed like too much of a forceful knock to be an accident" Zabini mutters.

I look up at that.

"Why the fuck would someone hit her on purpose?"

He shrugs again.

"Fucking hell, I'm gonna get out of here" I say, not wanting to be around anyone.

I leave Zabini standing there.

It was getting late, the hallways were empty and it was nearly getting close to curfew. I didn't really know where I was going, I just needed to get out of the common room. After the fight, people started to stare and whisper and I already had that from losing them the game earlier, I couldn't deal with them talking about me clocking Montague either.

I paced the empty hallways of the ground level of the castle, running my good hand through my hair and consistently clenching my sore hand , watching the small cuts open and bubble with blood. After a few laps, my skin started to feel cooler and my head was no longer thumping with anger.

Before I knew it I was outside the hospital wing. I shouldn't really go see her, but I felt this nagging pull to see if she was ok.

Maybe I could just stick my head in and see if she was sleeping.

Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be found, a small blessing after the mess that today had been. I push open the heavy wooden door and stick my head out slowly. Angelina Johnson, the Gryffindor's chaser was in a nearby bed, her healing broken leg was dangling in the air in a sling. Her snoring was echoing throughout the large room, so I poked my head out further. No one else seemed to be in the room except Aster, I could see her legs in her leather trousers poking out of the end of the bed.

I couldn't see if she was asleep, a blue curtained rail stood between her and my vision.

I take the plunge and slip into the room, trying to make my footsteps quiet against the stoned floor.

I hesitantly peer round the edge of the curtained rail to find Aster sleeping. Her dark brown hair fanned out on her pillow above. I sit myself in one of the steel chairs beside the bed and listen to her deep breathes.

I look down at my fist, the blood had dried on my skin between my knuckles, small purple bruises started to form on the back of my hand. I could probably just heal it myself with a charm.

It reminds me of when Aster appeared in my room, her palm cut and bloody.

_"I don't mind the pain"_

I never questioned why she said that, I think I just laughed at her. I don't think I even questioned why she was bleeding.

I understood though. Why sometimes pain was a greater distraction from the real thoughts surfacing in your mind.

She doesn't look like she's in pain right now. There's no evidence to suggest she was even hit in the head.

Her eyelids flutter as she sleeps.

I lean back into the chair and spread my legs out in front of me. The sudden urge to close my own eyes overwhelms me and before I know it, I feel my head drift backwards and lean against the steel frame of the chair.

\---

"Draco?"

I open up my eyes. The hospital wing now dark, small shadows cast from the few lit scones around the vast room.

I look down and find Aster sat up against her bed, her dark hair messily ruffled and her eyes dim in the darkness.

"Hey" I mutter, stretching my legs out.

I crack my fingers before realising that they're still cut and bruised. I flinch as the skin breaks again and blood starts to trickle out of the small cuts.

"What happened? Are you ok?!" she worries, her eyes going wide at my hands. She shuffles up further and leans forward to get a better look.

"I should be asking you that" I mutter, still looking down at my hand.

"I'm fine. Why are you here?" she asks.

I look up to find her green eyes staring up at mine, her eyebrows slightly furrowed in question.

"I don't know" I admit sheepishly.

In true Aster fashion she doesn't take long to make everything light-hearted.

"Were you worried about me?" she teases, a smirk appearing on her pretty face.

I roll my eyes.

"I needed to get away from the others, and I heard you were knocked on the head so I came here" I ramble.

Her eyes twinkle with amusement.

"So they didn't knock your incessant teasing out of you then?" I jab, a small smile try's to appear on my lips.

She smirks up at me.

"What did you do to your hand? Did you hurt it playing Quidditch?"

"No I punched Montague"

She bursts out laughing and I quickly look around to see if she woke Johnson up. Johnson stays snoring a few beds away. I look back at her and give her an evil eye.

"I would ask why but I already know" she chuckles.

"He's a dick" we both say in unison.

I laugh, watching her eyes twinkle and her lips pull up into a wide grin.

I move myself from the chair and sit on the edge of her bed. She shifts slightly to give me room.

I look into her perfect doe-green eyes and cup her warm cheek with my good hand.

"Are you ok?" I ask.

She nods into my hand, her smile now gone as she stares back at me.

I let my hand drop from her cheek, the warmness immediately disappearing and making me shiver from the coldness that replaces it.

She brings her own hand to my sore fist and runs her small fingers gently over the edges of my bloody knuckles.

We both sit silently, watching as she traces the curves and bumps on my hand with her soft fingers.

"Please tell me he looks worse?" she whispers.

I chuckle. "I hit him square on the jaw. He only got me in the shoulder"

She glances at my shoulder and I move my hand to gesture to my right. She moves her eyes back down to my fist and she twists my ring off my finger.

"Did this do any damage to him?" she asks, fiddling with my ring in her fingers. The blood from my knuckles slightly stains it, but she wipes it away.

"Pretty sure he has an ident in his cheek with the Malfoy crest on it now" I mumble.

She smiles widely, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes.

"You are such a Slytherin" I mutter, amused.

She looks up at me in confusion.

"I mean, I wouldn't have stopped you from hitting him more" she mutters.

"You can thank Zabini for that"

Her eyes widen.

"He pulled me off before I could hit him again" I explain.

She shakes her head nonplussed.

"Sounds like something he would do" she murmurs.

I watch as she twists the ring in her fingers.

"You gonna heal that?" she gestures to my hand.

"Nah, its a nice reminder that I was able to give Montague a good hit" I reply.

"You should put this on your other hand while it heals" she murmurs giving me back my ring.

"How about you wear it until I can?" I ask timidly, handing it back to her.

I had no idea why I suggested that.

She looks up surprised. For a quick second I think about snatching my ring back, but then she smiles gently at the ring and slips in on her right hand.

"I'll put it on a necklace when I get back to my dorm so no one can tell its yours" she whispers.

I smile at the bed. Thank god the hospital wing was dark, she would definitely see an impending blush appearing on my cheeks.

How did I go from wanting to never see her again to now giving her my family ring?


	34. The LIbrary

**Aster's POV**

I fiddled with Draco's ring on the silver chain I had clasped round my neck. I used an old chain long enough so that I could tuck the ring under my t-shirt.

I ended up drifting back to sleep after Draco left me in the hospital wing, the next morning Madam Pomfrey discharged me and I headed to my room, desperate for a shower.

Harper was nowhere to be found, a huge part of me was devastated that she never came to visit but something in me switched last night and I felt angry at her. Angry that she could just shove away our friendship like it meant nothing, presumably over nothing as well. Right now, I was happy for her to give us the silent treatment.

Once I was showered and changed, I quickly downed my contraceptive tonic (a bottle kept hidden in my trunk) and headed to the common room. I hoped Blaise had waited for me to have breakfast, I don't think I could have handled eating alone today.

Thankfully, Blaise was leaning casually on the back of one of the couches in the common room. Head bowed down, reading a magazine.

"Hey"

He looks up, and gives me a gentle smile. A Blaise smile.

"Hey, how you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine, much better actually" I say, pulling the sleeves of my black knitted crop down over my fingers.

He snaps his magazine closed and flicks it down onto a nearby side table.

"Lets get breakfast" he says, giving me a forced smile.

We both walk to The Great Hall side by side in silence. The silence wasn't awkward but it didn't seem right.

"You've seen Harper haven't you?" I ask.

He doesn't answer straight away, as if thinking of way to explain.

"Yeah...um...she looked upset so I asked her if she was ok and she uh...snapped" he mumbles, his voice wavering slightly.

I look to my side to see his dark eyebrows wrinkled, his eyes narrowed.

"Snapped?"

"Yeah she just shouted at me to leave her alone...so I did" he mutters sadly.

I feel my heart slightly crack, but my anger quickly fills that small fissure.

"Just forget about her Blaise. Let's just let her do what she needs to do." I try to make my words sound comforting but instead they sound slightly threatening.

"Lets just hope they have pancakes this morning" Blaise says in reply.  
  
  


**Draco's POV**

I wake up to a stiff, sore shoulder. I forgot to produce a healing spell on it last night, I was too exhausted to even remember I had even been in a fight. If you could call it that.

It wasn't the first time I had thrown a punch, there was more than one reason why people seemed to follow me around. They knew I had a temper, they just didn't know that I threw punches out of fearfulness. To be honest, I was fretful every day that they would see straight through me, see that I wasn't as strong as they thought. Wasn't such a _Malfoy_ after all.

I look into my smudgy mirror and find a huge fresh and livid purple bruise growing on my right shoulder.

I carefully manoeuvre my arms into a black t-shirt and step into my familiar black jeans. Combing my hair with my fingers I wince as I also realise my knuckles were also infected with blue-purple hued splotches. While examining my fingers, I quickly notice my ring was gone.

I completely forgot I gave it to Aster to look after.

My heart suddenly started to push against my rib cage. What did I do?

Did I do the right thing?

What would she think of that?

Did she think we were official now? Isn't that what girls normally assume when you give them a ring?

Fuck, I probably needed to talk to her.

I end up heading straight towards The Great Hall. She would be at breakfast now. Too distracted with the panicked thoughts racing through my head, I halt abruptly just outside the hall. I couldn't exactly go straight to her and talk to her in front of everyone.

Anxiety made my fingers tremble and my foot tap against the stone floor.

After trying to force my limbs to stay still, I decide to walk in and find an empty spot to eat breakfast. I don't think the guys particularly wanted to speak to me after last night either. Today was probably going to be rather lonely.

By mischance, which by now I should just assume would be my life, the only empty spot to eat breakfast was either right next to Parkinson or right in front of Aster and Blaise.

I contemplate turning back and just skipping breakfast, but I see Aster talk to Blaise, a small smile on her face and I feel my nerves abruptly disappear.

It's like I completely forget about my complex feelings every time I see her.

I walk around the end of the long table and find myself sitting down opposite her. She looks up, her eyes wide with surprise. Blaise mirroring her exact expression.

I quickly dive right into the toast to my side, buttering each slice and keeping my eyes focused on the melted yellow spread.

I hear Aster crunch into her own toast as Blaise continues his conversation. He chats aimlessly about a band I don't know, while Aster munches quietly on her breakfast her eyes focused on Blaise.

I watch as she bends over to grab the pitcher of orange juice just slightly out of her reach. A chain glitters in the light and I catch the small shadow of my ring beneath her jumper, just above her cleavage.

I feel my stomach drop.

She made me feel too much. All at once. I was elated, confused, relieved. I had no idea which emotion to focus on.

Her gentle cough woke me up from my stare and I look up to see her eyes glaring into mine with question.

I give her a cautious smile, keeping my head bowed so no one else can see. Busying myself with my filled goblet in front of me, I bring the cup to my lips and give myself the opportunity to look her in the eyes.

Her eyes show concern and I give her a small nod in confirmation that I'm fine. She flicks her eyes to my knuckles as if asking if my hand is ok. I place my goblet back on the table and stretch my hand in response.

"Mate, you know we have spells to heal that right?" Blaise jabs.

I groan, annoyed at his pesky interruption.

"Reminds me that I can clock Montague but he can't even hit me in the face" I mumble, giving him a smarmy smirk.

In the corner of my eye, I see Aster's lips pull up in amusement.

Blaise replies by shooting his eyebrows up and nodding in agreement.

I look around to see if anyone sitting nearby would harrass me if I talked to Aster. Only a few second years sit next to me and on Aster's side a few fourth years, no one of importance.

"Can I talk to you later?" I mumble, quickly darting my eyes up to her and back down at my food awkwardly.

"Me?" I hear her ask.

I furrow my brows in annoyance and look up. Her dark green eyes sparkle with sarcasm.

I roll my eyes at her in response.

Zabini chuckles and I shoot him a filthy look.

He throws his hands up in surrender, but a huge grin covers his face.

These two are just as bad as each other.

I eat the rest of my breakfast in silence, not wanting to cause too much attention to where I was sitting. Sitting with the wrong people can get you ostracized in this place.

I wasn't sure when I could talk to Aster, but I knew I had to talk to her soon. Yesterday was playing on my mind. She always knew how to make things make sense. She seemed so confident with her thoughts, a small slither of me was jealous.

After breakfast I awkwardly pace the hallway outside The Great Hall, waiting for her. She strolls out with Zabini, her hair is pulled into a loose pony tail today and it swings with her steps. Before I can make a move towards her, her eyes lock with mine and I watch as she murmurs something to Zabini. He nods before glancing at me, and then walks in the direction of the common room.

When she approaches me she gives me a small smile, I nod my head towards the opposite direction, towards the library. We walk side by side but far enough apart that it doesn't look like we're walking together. I longed to be nearer but I couldn't risk it.

Once we reach the front doors opening up to the library, her eyes narrow in question. I head towards my favourite spot, deep in the library hidden by large, looming bookcases filled with dusty old books that no one ever checks out. It's quite deep into the library, so it takes us a while and a few confusing turns until we get there. The bookcases in this corner are lined with a long desk, a small arched window stares out to the great lake. The books I left from last time are still stacked on one of the desks, my quill lies lazily on the top.

People always wonder where I head off to, probably thinking I'm in my room. Most of the time I'm huddled over my textbooks in this exact spot. The smell of books, quill ink and the earthly smell of rain drifting from the window instantly makes my body at ease.

I lean myself against the tall bookcase, and watch as Aster frowns at her surroundings.

"What?" I ask, breaking the comfortable silence around us.

"I didn't realise their were still desks this far back" she mumbles, running her hands across the dusty surface of the desk I don't use.

"I normally study here"

She looks up her eyes wide but they suddenly soften with understanding.

"You don't like studying with others?" She asks quietly.

"Nah, their stupidity is insufferable most of the time" I quip.

The corners of her mouth tug upwards, and I instantly smile in response.

"What did you want to talk about?" She says as she perches herself on the edge of my desk in the far corner, right opposite me.

I look out of the window to my right, the sky overcast, the remnants of a storm brewing behind the thick grey clouds.

"Um, I was a bit rash last night...after the Quidditch game" I start, not sure how to start the conversation.

"You mean the fight you had with Montague? Blaise filled me in this morning" she says, her hands fiddling with her jumper.

"Well yes, and I um realised that I gave you my ring?" I say, a question sings at the end of my sentence.

She narrows her eyes as her hands find her way to the necklace under her jumper.

"How's your hand?" She asks, flicking her eyes at my arms crossed against my chest.

"Yeah its ok, bit sore still" I say uncrossing my arms and clenching my fist.

"You don't want me to look after your ring anymore?" She asks, her voice unwavering.

I look up and find her eyes curiously staring into mine. The confidence in this girl doesn't nothing but impress me.

"No I don't mind, I just don't want you to think the wrong thing" I mumble quietly. I feel a deep thump against my rib cage.

She looks up at me, puzzled.

"The wrong thing?" she asks, her voice louder than my own. It echoes in the empty aisle.

"I mean um...you know...when a guy gives a girl a ring...I-" I don't get to finish my sentence before she interrupts me with a chuckle. Her eyes light up and the pressure in my chest lifts slightly.

"I'm literally just looking after it. It doesn't have to mean anything if you don't want it to. It definitely doesn't need to mean anything serious" she says, giving me a mocking smile.

I roll my eyes at her.

I pick myself off the bookcase and walk towards her, her eyes watch my hands.

"It obviously means something" I murmur, not really understanding why I'm continuing this conversation.

She looks up at my face, her eyes wide.

"Come here" she murmurs, taping the desk either side of her thighs.

She widens her legs slightly so I can fit myself in between them. I rest my hands on her legs and stroke my fingers up the sides of her thighs.

"It means you're starting to trust me" she whispers. Her words travel down my neck and to my spine.

I look down into her emerald eyes, noticing that the outer ring of her eyes are the perfect green and the closer to the pupil the softer the green gets. Her pupils grow wider as the stare into mine.

"I guess so" I mumble back, my words lost in my thoughts.

"You know its ok to actually want to trust someone right?" She asks, her voice quieter this time. The words meant just for my ears.

I look down at her lips, the soft pink enticing and comforting.

"Hey" she says, demanding my attention.

I look up to her cocking one eyebrow at me.

"What?" I ask, stifling a laugh at her cockiness.

"Stop staring at my lips and listen to me" she demands, a hint of a smile appearing.

I cup her warm cheeks with my hands.

"I can't help it" I smirk.

"You're unbelievable" she murmurs, a hint of humour evident in her tone.

I smirk at the comment.

"You know it"

She rolls her eyes humorously at me. I drop my hands from her cheeks and place them on her waist instead.

"So, this is your hiding place is it? ever taken a girl here before?" She asks.

"Nope, and I think you already knew that" I say.

"Well I could have assumed you took Parkinson here" She mumbles impatiently.

This time I cock my eyebrow at her.

"Would that have made you jealous Flint?"

Her eyes shoot daggers at me.

"No" she spits, unconvincingly.

I laugh. I never thought Aster would be one to get jealous.

A blush creeps onto her tan skin.

I thread my hands underneath her knitted jumper and stroke the warm smooth skin beneath it. I feel her body relax under my touch.

"So no one else comes here?" She asks, her voice a mere whisper now that my hands are running their way up her torso.

"Not when I'm here" I reply back, watching her eyelids flutter.

"I like it" she murmurs, opening her eyes and looking out of the window to her left.

I pull her closer to me, desperate for her attention.

"I like you" I whisper into her neck.


	35. Befitting

**Aster's POV**

I don't let him kiss me, it was getting too easy for him to shuffle me into a quiet spot. Instead I push my hands against his chest and lean backwards. His eyes go wide and he gives me a pout.

"I need your help with something" I mutter, giving him a smile.

His hands stay gripped on my waist, his body practically flush against mine as I sit perched on the very edge of the desk.

"D.A.D.A homework" I grin.

His hands drop from my waist in disappointment, the lust in his eyes that was there just moments ago, vanished, now replaced with dismay.

"Sorry" I mutter, grinning still.

He doesn't step away from me and a large part of me is glad he's still nestled between my legs.

"I don't have the money for a tutor but I'm sure I can find another way to repay you" I smirk, hoping for a small reaction.

His smirk returns, his fingers trace the curve of my jaw, making me shiver unexpectedly.

"Oh that will be fun" he drags out each word softly into my ear.

The hot breath tickles my ear and my mouth parts as the filthy thoughts flick through my head.

I jump up in a fluster, knocking his body backwards. He stumbles slightly but his huge smirk stays present on his handsome face.

"I need to go get my books" I mumble.

He smiles at me before pulling a chair out from the desk I was just sitting on and rearranging the books that were stacked in the corner.

"You leave your stuff here?" I ask, confused.

"No one else comes here so I might as well just leave it all here" he shrugs.

This boy was so curious. I had know idea he spent so much time alone. I usually studied with Harper or Blaise. I did slightly better than the others, so I always found it hard to find someone to help with with subjects I found harder.

Draco seemed to match me in intelligence. I was so glad I finally had someone to challenge me.

I left him huddled in his dusty corner and hurried to my room.

Blaise was lounging by a fire in the common room, his feet up on one side dangling over the arm, his head in the same magazine as before.

"Hey do you mind-"

"if you hang out with Malfoy?" he interrupts, lowering his magazine and cocking one eyebrow.

"Shush" I hiss, my eyes shooting around the vicinity for any eavesdroppers.

He rolls his eyes at my agitation.

"I'm not 'hanging' out with him per say, he's helping me with some homework" I explain, hitting his leg that was splayed out in front of him.

"yeah, yeah whatever you want to call it" he mutters, burying his head back into his magazine.

"Are you ok?"

He looks up with a disconcerting look.

"I'm fine" he replies shortly.

"I mean about Harper?" I add. He was acting rather normal for someone who just got heartbroken by his best friend.

He looks over his magazine again but his eyes look weary this time, tired and old.

"I try not to think about it too much to be honest" he admits.

I nod, shuffling my feet awkwardly as I stand in front of him. Is this how boys cope with heartbreak? do they just shove it down and hope it doesn't come bubbling back up at an inappropriate time?

"Alright, well I'll be in the library if you need me. I should go" I mutter, squeezing his foot with my hand.

Its a bit of a task trying to remember where Draco's secret spot is, the library was much bigger than I thought. Student's usually stuck to the common areas to study or if they wanted more privacy they found a spare desk that was slotted at the end of aisles.

Library's reminded me of my father, so I tried to stay away from them. I didn't want to think about my family lately, ever since I met my Uncle, the letters from my parents were condescending and scornful. They were angry and wouldn't tell me why.

Draco's spot was buried in the library, hidden to the side where their was an odd section of empty bookshelves. I wonder how he found this place.

Finally, I find him face down on the desk, fast asleep.

He didn't snore, he just breathed deeply with little sniffles exiting his noise at various intervals.

I watched him for a while, leaning against the desk beside him waiting for him to wake up. I coughed slightly and his eyelids fluttered drastically before he flicked them open and shot up from his seat.

His hair was dishevelled, his eyes a little swollen from his cat nap.

"I was only gone for 20 minutes" I laugh, turning around and shoving my books onto the desk next to him.

"I spent half the night sleeping in that terrible hospital chair" He groans, cracking his neck as he stretches. The sight makes my mouth dry, the veins popping beneath his pale skin.

I don't realise that I'm still staring until he chuckles. The warm sound wakes me from my trance. His eyes sparkle and his classic smirk is spread right across his face. He lifts his arms above his head and stretches again.

_For fucks sake._

"Um yeah..." I stumble, trying to sort through the words getting lost in my head.

"Lets do the assignment Snape gave us on our last lesson" I finally ask, shoving the piece of parchment into his hands so he stops stretching and putting on a show.

He keeps his smirk on his face while he looks down at the parchment and nods.

"Ok well lets do this then" he says, pulling my chair out from under the desk and gesturing for me to sit down.

**Draco's POV**

She was smart.

Very smart.

She didn't need my help at all with the homework. Instead, we both mumbled our ideas to each other and completed our essay on non-verbal spells. It was quite comforting to be honest.

I had watched her in class before. She usually sat at the front, whereas I was at the back with the guys, so I couldn't see her all the time.

She was pretty good at non-verbal spells by what I had seen.

She was muttering her words to herself as she re-read her last sentence. It had been a few hours since we had started and I was starting to get restless. I watched as her lips moved as she read, her eyes were narrowed and focused on the parchment in front of her. She bit her lip as she tapped her quill, contemplating her last sentence. My eyes were trained on her plush lips, and I found my mind wandering again.

"You're staring" she simply states.

I lean back in my chair and continue to stare.

She flips her head up and stares back at me, her deep emerald eyes boring into mine.

"You done?" she says, a smirk on her face.

"I finished ages ago, just waiting for you now" I mutter, still shamelessly staring at her lips.

She sighs and I watch as her lips puff out. She puts down her quill and unexpectedly gets up from her chair.

"Turn your chair around" she orders, standing behind me.

I do as she says and stand up while twisting my chair to face her. I sit back down and look up at her big eyes staring gracefully down at me. Her lips pull up in a smirk.

I watch as she lowers herself down on me, perching her ass on my lap, our chests inches apart. She looks down at me slightly, her face now soft and thoughtful.

Silently, she presses her lips against mine and I can't help but moan. Finally.

"You've been waiting for that for a while haven't you?" she melodiously teases.

"You have no idea" I murmur before I grip her waist and pull her closer to me.

Her hips grind against my pelvis automatically and I smirk before I press my lips against hers again.

She opens up her mouth to me, sliding her tongue to meet mine. My whole body goes slack as we both settle into a smooth rhythm. Her kisses are soft and sweet this time. My hands feel their way up her back and under her jumper. She's not wearing anything but her bra underneath so my hands instantly feel the delicate lace material of her bra, a stark contrast to her usual cotton underwear.

"What's this then?" I whisper before peeling up her jumper a tad to take a peak at her lace bra.

She squeals under my touch and her hips wiggle against me in a way that makes me inwardly groan.

She's wearing a transparent black lace bra, embroidered with large flowers. I feel my briefs stretch underneath her as my dick hardens at the sight.

"Do you like it?" She whispers into my ear.

She's displaying a smirk befitting an evil queen and in that moment I think she's perfect for me.

She pulls down her jumper before attaching her lips to my neck. The kisses sweet and slow and agonisingly sultry.

Now it's my turn to uncomfortably shift in my seat.


	36. Unwinding

**Aster's POV**

"C'mon, please" Draco pleads, his hands tracking their way up my torso and towards my bra.

I knew he would love it and he was going to probably lose his mind when he finds out I'm wearing matching underwear.

I was sorting through my trunk this morning before my shower, when I came across my new lingerie set I had purchased just weeks before. Hogsmeade had a small lingerie store, settled in a corner down a street full of clothing boutiques. I had gone with Harper at the time, we both needed new bra's and we decided to treat ourselves to the best of the best. As soon as I saw the delicate see-through black set, I knew I needed it. I had just started hooking up with Draco and I had wanted to wear it for him for weeks now.

After last night, that knock to my head, I needed a release. I needed to feel good.

However, I didn't want to show him the full set in the middle of the school library. I wanted his full attention and I wanted no interruptions, no matter how quiet and secluded he announced this little spot of his to be.

"Maybe I'll show you tonight" I tease, biting his ear softly. His groan reverberates through my bones and goosebumps automatically erupt over my arms.

"Maybe?" he whines.

I laugh at his exasperation.

"I need to check my calendar and see if I'm available" I murmur before pressing my lips to the corner of his lips, tasting fresh toothpaste.

He groans again, throwing his head back in vexation.

I take the opportunity to drag my tongue up his neck, leaving a wet trail from his collarbone to his jugular.

"Please stop" he groans, stomping his foot, causing me to jump from his lap.

I can't help but laugh at his obvious frustration. He was too easy to tease.

He looks back at me, his eyes droopy and lustful. His warm hands cup my jaw and he gazes softly at me.

"You're a menace" he says, a twinkle appearing in his eyes before he latches his lips back to mine.

His kiss deepens and I find myself getting lost as his tongue molds against mine. The heat intensifies and I find my body grinding against his lap, desperate for more. Before my own hands can explore his body he pulls away with a huge grin on his face.

"Please show me tonight?" he asks, rather sweetly.

"Ok" I mumble, the corners of my lips twitching into a smile.

"How's your head?" he asks, his hands making their way to the base of my skull, his fingers thread through the base of my pony tail.

"Its fine, I don't feel a thing"

"Blaise mentioned it was a hard hit" he murmurs, his eyes searching my face with concern.

I frown.

"You talked to Blaise?" I ask.

"I told you yesterday Blaise told me you got hit" he murmurs. His fingers traces the angles of my face gently, his eyes following.

"I just can't picture you talking to Blaise" I mumble, enjoying the feel of his fingers on my skin.

His fingers make his way to my neck and they tickle down to my collarbone.

"Where did you get this scar from?" he murmurs, his fingers tracing a small ragged scar across my left collarbone.

"Harper hexed me in our third year by accident and the scar never fully healed" I tell him, remembering how she cried for a good hour when we realise we couldn't heal it completely.

"Its ugly I know" I wince, watching him eye it carefully.

"Its not ugly, I like it" he says quietly, before leaning down and pressing his lips to it gently.

The gentleness I was beginning to see from him was so unexpected.

His eyes kept following his fingers as he continues running them down my chest and to my cleavage. A small smile flickers across his handsome face and I roll my eyes humorously at his boyish charm.

His hands dip under my knitted jumper and I squeeze my legs against his hips as he dips his fingers under the bra to caress the soft skin.

Then he finds my necklace.

He pulls in out gently and fingers his ring dangling on the end. A small smile appears on his face and I feel my cheeks grow hot.

_Who is this boy?_

Just a week ago he was telling me to get lost, now he was smiling at his ring dangling from my neck, telling me he liked my scars, kissing me gently, acting concerned. He was almost acting like he cared.

I let my mind drift cautiously down that path. If he actually cared for me, what would that mean? Do I care about him?

I watched as he twirled the ring in his fingers, the necklace chain bouncing on my collarbones. His knuckles were now covered with blue splotches, and his small cuts were scabbing over.

"Why did you hit Montague?" I whisper, still staring at his fingers.

He tucks my necklace back into my jumper before he replies.

"They blamed me for losing the game yesterday and I was kinda pissed off that you didn't show up after the game like we planned and you know what Montague is like, he just had to say something shitty and I hit him" he rambles, his cheeks go slightly pink at the mention of our plan.

"I'm sorry I didn't show" I mutter, looking down at my hands now resting on his shoulders.

"I'm gonna try and find out who hit you. Do you know if they hit you with something or was it magic?" he asks. I look up and find his eyes narrowed and focused.

"Um I don't remember anyone being behind me so maybe it was magic? someone could have hexed me? I don't know why they would though" I explain, my voice trailing into a small whisper as I think to myself.

"If Parkinson found out about us it could have been her" Draco says through gritted teeth, his jaw clenched.

"I think she would have made a more public way of exposing us don't you?"

"Mhmm" he mumbles, his eyes focusing on his hands now wrapped around my hips. He starts to rub his thumb against my hip bone over my jeans and I look down at the small gesture.

"They could have stunned you" he mumbles, his thumb drawing wider circles.

His jaw remains clenched as he broods.

I cup his face with my hands and force him to look at me.

He eyes go wide and his fingers stop on my hips as if I've broken him from some sort of trance.

"Don't worry about me, I can look after myself" I tell him, giving him a smile.

His eyes narrow.

"Um I'm not worried..." He sputters, he bites his lip as he tries to explain himself.

I roll my eyes at him and laugh. He still wasn't ready to take this relationship to the next step. Maybe he never would. He could learn to trust me but I couldn't make him think about me seriously. I had no idea if I wanted to be serious with him. It wasn't like we could walk about the castle hand in hand.

Luckily, I was brought up by a mother that did not like taking life seriously. My mother was a dark haired beauty that took each day as it came. My father was the planner, the one that brought my mum back to reality. For now, I had to take Draco day by day.

I mean it had only been like 6 weeks since we first kissed.

I thought back to the day we kissed. In Hogsmeade.

"Can you believe that you were the one to kiss me first?" I blurt out, my thoughts escaping my head before I could catch them.

I feel him tense underneath me and my heart starts to pound in my chest after I realise what I just did.

He looks up at me, his eyes wide but full of mischief and I instantly relax.

"You came onto me if I remember correctly" he retorts, a smirk growing on his lips.

"Nooooo, I was minding my own business when you came along and decided to kiss me!"

His eyes squint and humour flickers in his soft features.

"You literally cornered me" he states.

I think back to the day. I remember pushing him against the cobblestoned wall of the alleyway, but I also remembered pulling away before he kissed me.

"You tasted like pumpkin and cinnamon" he murmurs. I look at him, his eyes glazed as if he was also thinking back to that day.

My heart swells.

"I probably had pumpkin juice for breakfast" I smile.

He shakes his head just slightly before turning his gaze back to focus on me. His hand cups my cheek and his finger swipes just below my eye.

"I'm gonna figure out who stunned you" he says seriously.

All I call do is nod. His silver eyes stare into mine and for a second all I can feel is his fingers on my cheek and my body pressed up against his.

He leans forward while also bringing my head to his. He presses his lips against mine gently, a warmth spreads through my face and down my neck. His other hand rests on one hip and he pulls me forward so my hips roll against his pelvis. We kiss deeper, our tongues dancing. His good hand grips tighter on my hip and I groan at the intensity. Before I can get lost in his touch I pull away.

"Lets not do this in the middle of the library" I murmur into his lips.

"Ah c'mon, I know you're not a good girl" he murmurs mischievously into my mouth.

I raise an eyebrow.

"You've definitely done some naughty things to me darling" he whispers back.

\--

I end up peeling myself off Draco and giving him another slow, deep kiss goodbye.

I promised I would see him later. The next week we had quite a few exams, so I know that our time together would be limited.

Blaise wasn't in the common room when I returned, so I chucked my books on my bed and made my way to his room.

His eyes were red-rimmed and a huge smile was spread across his face when he opened the door.

I didn't even have a chance to ask before I smelt the pungent aroma of weed.

I push past him to find Goyle spread out on his own bed, a lit blunt between his thick fingers. The smoke swirled around the room and out of the small opening in a window next to his bed.

"You're smoking?! with him?!" I yell, my eyes wide in shock.

Blaise giggles. Actually giggles.

I cock my eyebrow at him and flip my head back to Goyle spread out on his bed, his eyes closed his hand hanging off the edge of his bed with the blunt in his hand.

"What the fuck is going on?" I ask bewildered.

I watch as Blaise strolls towards his own bed and sits on the edge, he watches me stand in the middle of his dorm room, his eyes squinting, a smile still present on his face.

"Dude?" I ask, begging him to talk.

"Sorry" he says, shaking his head, "I needed to relax and Goyle offered" he says.

Goyle finally rises from his bed.

"Yo what's she doing in here?" He asks Blaise, pointing to me with one of his fat fingers.

"She came to see what I was doing" Blaise says, his eyes squint again and I watch as he stands up and picks the blunt from Goyle's hand.

He pops the blunt into his mouth and takes a longer drag than I thought he would. His whole face crumbles as he breathes it deeper into his lungs and he lets out a large sigh once he releases the pungent smoke into the room.

I watch as he laughs a little before giving it back to Goyle. Goyle laughs along with him, a sight I never thought I would see.

I don't think I've ever seen Blaise this high. He's smoked a little with Harper and myself a few times but this time he looks really out of it.

I can't leave him here with Goyle this high.

"For fucks sake" I sigh before strolling over to Blaise and pushing him onto his bed.

"Sit down and no more" I order.

"Fuck this girl is bossy" Goyle groans from behind me.

"Relax Ast, why don't you have some?" Blaise sings, digging his elbow into my rib before he flops back on his bed.

"I don't think that's a good idea" I answer.

"She's a goody two shoes" Goyle immaturely adds.

"Who the fuck even says that anymore?" I complain, looking over at Goyle and finding him staring up at the ceiling on his own bed.

"How fucking strong is this shit?" I ask, walking over to Goyle and plucking the blunt out of his hands. I grimace as I peel his fat fingers off.

"Really strong, I got it from the Weasleys" Goyle mumbles.

The thought of the Weasleys reminds me of Harper. I hadn't seen her all day.

"Have you seen Harper?" I ask Blaise.

He lifts his head off his bed.

"Saw her in the common room and she fucked off before I could even say hi" he mumbles incoherently.

I feel my stomach twist and turn, Harper's absence was really starting to get under my skin. I hadn't not talked to her for this long since she went overseas in our third year.

"You know what, fuck it" I say, before I bring the blunt to my lips and inhale.

I let the smoke sit in my lungs for a second before I breath out. The smoke fills the room beside me, and I let my body fully relax as the drug courses through my blood. 

"Yesssss" Blaise cheers beside me, a huge grin on his face.

"Fuck off, I needed a break"

"What do you need a break from? All the shagging you're doing with Malfoy?" Blaise chuckles beside me.

As soon as the words leave his lips I shoot him a look so evil, he literally crawls backwards on his bed away from me.

"Whose shagging Malfoy?" Goyle lazily asks from his bed.


	37. The High

**Aster's POV**

I was going to punch Blaise in the face.

Goyle was still staring at the ceiling, his eyes glazed and foggy.

"Whose shagging Malfoy?" he asks again, this time his words are slow as if he can't quite remember if he said them before.

"Uh I don't know, why?" I ask acting confused.

I take another drag from the stubby blunt in my hand, the weed was already making my limbs feel light and at that moment of time I was ever so grateful that I had the drug to calm my nerves.

Blaise chuckled again. I shoot another dirty glance over at him before swiping his pillow from his bed and throwing it straight for his head. In his dazed state, the pillow hit him squarely on the nose and he gives me a delayed grunt.

I rest the blunt on his side table, leaning it on a coaster before siting myself on the edge of Blaise's bed.

I peered over to Goyle but it seemed like he was too out of it to remember his own question. Thank god. I really hoped he didn't remember this tomorrow.

Blaise pulled his body next to mine, he was lying on his stomach, his legs dangling off the opposite edge. He pushed his elbows into the bed and leaned his head heavily in his hands.

"He had more than me, so I think he's done for tonight" Blaise mumbled, looking over at Goyle.

"I think you're done for tonight" I hiss at him, still annoyed.

"C'mon Ast, I'm sorry. He won't remember, don't worry"

"It's not me you should be worried about, if he asks Draco you're done for" I whisper.

I look around the boys dorm room, each bed had a wall each. It was identical to the girls dorm, t apart from the smell of musky cologne and the piles of dirty laundry on the floor.

"Don't you guys have a elf clean all this up?" I ask, crinkling my nose as I pick a lone t-shirt off the floor with my foot.

"I wouldn't touch that if I was you" Blaise mutters.

I kick the t-shirt away from me in disgust.

The weed was taking its time with me, all I could feel was the numbness start to take on my fingers and a small fog was forming in my head. The boys must have been smoking for a while before I got here if they were this fazed out.

I lean back on the bed, letting my legs dangle off the edge. I feel Blaise shuffle beside me to mimic my position. Before I know it, his head is right next to mine, both of us staring at the ceiling.

"Thank god I have you" Blaise mutters.

I turn my head to face him, his eyes were soft and he looked tired.

"You will always have me" I reply, watching his eyelashes flutter before he closes his eyes.

"Are you guys in love?" Goyle yells from his bed.

"Fuck off" I shout back, watching as Blaise's chest rise and falls as he stifles a laugh.

I watch as his lips press aggressively together before the laugh escapes his mouth. Laughter bubbles up in my own chest and I can't help but join him.

We both lie there, laughing like our lives depending on it. My chest aches and my eyes water. Goyle suddenly springs up from his bed and I flick my eyes over to his direction.

"What's so funny?" He asks angrily.

I can't help but burst out into my laughter as I watch Goyle's face go bright red and puffy. Blaise lifts his head from the bed and looks up as well.

"Hey Goyle, are you in love with Crabbe?" He asks, his dark eyes twinkle with mischief.

I stifle another laugh.

Goyle looks at Blaise with such abhorrence for a minute I think we both might get punched in the face.

"No what the fuck, I'm not gay" He mumbles, "You guys are weird, if you start doing stuff when I'm in the room I wont fucking hesitate to go tell Snape".

I roll my eyes at him and Blaise snorts next to me.

"Blaise and I are not in a relationship" I state, as he keeps staring at me.

"Are you dating that Bainbridge girl then? " he muses.

This is the most I've ever heard Goyle talk, so he must be pretty high.

Blaise huffs and lies back down at the mention of Harper's name.

"It none of your business Goyle" I mutter, turning towards Blaise again.

I look down at him sprawled on his bed, his eyes squeezed shut. I lean over to shake him awake, desperate to get him laughing again.

Before I can ask if Blaise is ok, the boys door swings wide open, crashing against a nearby trunk.

I look up and find Draco staring at me, his eyes wide. He looks down at Blaise and back at me again.

I look down at my hand, its rested on Blaise's shoulder, my body turned towards him. This doesn't look great.

Goyle flops back on the bed when he realises its just Draco.

"What the fuck is happening in here? I can smell that shit from down the hall" he moans, his eyes not leaving mine. His jaw was clenched and I watched as his eyes looked back down at my hand still resting on Blaise's shoulder. Blaise still had his eyes shut but an exasperated groan escapes his lips.

I quickly lift myself off Blaise and move to the edge of the bed, trying to escape Draco's blinding gaze.

"Fuck off Malfoy unless you're gonna have some" Goyle mutters from his bed.

Malfoy looks over at Goyle furiously. He seems to monitor Goyle's behavior before deciding to leave him.

He looks at me and mouths the words 'Come with me'. His eyes still furious and his arms crossed in front of him.

I pick myself up from the bed, nudging Blaise in the process to get his attention. His eyes snap open and he raises an eyebrow in question.

I glare at him in response.

I make my way across the room, my limbs feeling slightly lighter than before, my arms tingling from the high.

I watch as Malfoy takes his wand from his pocket and casts a spell around the room. Instantly the musty smell disappears and is replaced with a fresh pine scent. I probably should have done that.

Once I reach his side, he looks over at Blaise and Goyle, finding them both amused, staring up at the walls. He shakes his head, a tiresome look flickering across his face before he looks at me. His silver eyes stare into mine as if assessing my pupils. He grabs my hand and pulls me out of the room without a word.

"What-" I cry, as he pulls me down the hallway and towards his own room.

He gives me a cold look and I find my words vanishing from my mouth.

Once he pulls me into his room, I watch dazed as he locks the door and mutters the silencing spell. _At least he's used to doing that now._

"What were you doing on Blaise's bed?!" he asks, his tone authoritative and demanding.

I try to frown but I find my muscles can't seem to respond as they usually do.

"Um- I found them smoking" I try and explain, my tongue suddenly taking up a lot of room in my mouth.

"So you decided to go and climb all over him?" He argues, his eyes blazing and furious.

I find myself chuckling at the sight.

"Are you jealous?" I smirk, my chest heaving from the stifled laughs.

He steps closer to me, his presence dominating my small frame. I look up and find his silver eyes still bright with angry flames.

"You're not even angry about me smoking?" I ask him, my current state obviously showing that I was high.

He opens his mouth and I wait for him to answer. Instead he snaps it shut and gently takes my arm and guides me to sit down on his bed.

I sit, plonking myself onto his bed. I run my hands through his soft sheets, the cotton flimsy against my hard hands.

"Aster?"

I look up to find him staring down at me still, except now his eyes look a little less like they might set me alight and more like silver stars on a dark sky.

Comforting.

"Yeah?" I ask, giving him a wide smile.

My smile triggers something in him. I can see his cheeks twitch as he tries to suppress a smile back.

"How high are you?" he asks me.

"I had like two drags but the guys said it was strong stuff" I mumble.

I didn't feel too high, just enough that my limbs felt light and everything around me seemed easy. Like I didn't have to think too much about what to do next.

"Hmmm" Draco hums, before pushing my legs apart with his knees and cupping my face with his large hands.

His hands feel rough against my hot skin, and I instantly feel my body quiver under his touch.

"You feel good" I mumble.

This time I get a smirk from him.

"I don't want to see you climbing over another guy from now on? ok?" he demands, his eyes gleaming.

I look at him properly, willing my eyes to focus and my heartbeat to steady.

"That's a bit possessive, don't you think?" I retort.

He tilts his head, studying my face intently.

"Would you rather me not care?" He asks, his eyes daring me to argue you with him.

I think about it, or at least try to. The drug making my thoughts whiz past before I get a grasp on them.

"I want you to care" I whisper, letting the weed relax my thoughts.

"I want to be the only one that gets to touch you, feel you" he murmurs before his lips brush my cheek softly.

Normally that touch would have sent my toes curling but with the weed coursing through my blood, my whole body jolts.

"Touch me now" I beg.

He removes his lips from my cheek and looks at me carefully.

"Are you ok? You're not too high?" he asks.

"I'm ok. Just high enough for every touch of yours to feel like I could orgasm". My words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them.

He laughs.

"That sounds like fun" he murmurs, his lips getting closer and closer to mine.

I stare at them, waiting for their heaviness to press against mine.

After what feels like eons, he finally puts his lips forcefully on mine, kissing me soundly and letting his tongue trail my bottom lip until I open my mouth to taste his him. He removes his hands from my flushed face and his fingers make their way to my jeans. He flicks the button open with ease before smoothly pulling the top band of the denim down, his eyes look up at me for help.

"I need these off" he demands.

I lift my hips up off the bed and let him pull the soft denim down my legs, the brief touches of his fingers sending sparks down my nerves.

After he peels my jeans off, he stands tall and gently pushes me back and onto his bed.

"Do these match?" he asks, his eyes wide as he spies my new underwear.

The look on his face makes my cheeks blush and my body starts to shake in preparation.

My back hits the bed with a small bounce and I can't help but smile as I watch Draco climb over me, his eyes lust-filled and a smirk displayed proudly on his face. I shuffle backwards, giving him room to fit his tall frame on the bed.

"I want you to try and be quiet" he murmurs against my lips, a devilish smirk still on his face.

I watch in awe as he moves down my body, pushing up my jumper and eyeing my matching bra. His eyes wide and full when he takes in my matching underwear, looking up and down at them both in awe.

"Fuck" he murmurs against my stomach, before leaving wet kisses down my torso. He lifts my thigh over his shoulder and I take the opportunity to lift myself up and weave my fingers through his hair, desperate to touch him.

He kisses the inside of my thigh, nipping them lightly and leaving a trail of kisses as his hands part my legs roughly so he can position his head between them.

I knew he could see evidence of my swollen clit through the transparent black fabric. I gasp and arch my hips the second he pulls my underwear to the side and touches the tip of his fingers to my center.

"Is this what you want?" he asks in a heavy voice. "If you want this, then it will be fast and rough Aster, I need to feel you shaking for me. How much can you handle?" he grins darkly.

I was too overcome with desire to answer. My nerves were in overdrive from the weed and I could already feel my body buzzing from anticipation. I try to nod my head in response.

"I need you to say it" he murmurs between my legs.

"Do your worst.." I manage to stumble .

He doesn't even bother to remove my underwear, instead he pulls the elastic to the side and his lips start to suck unmercifully.

"Oh fuck" I moan unexpectedly. My clit was already swollen and ready, my outer lips too sensitive.

He removes his lips and lifts himself up slightly to look at me.

"I said be quiet" he demands, his eyes serious, his hair already disheveled from my hands.

I nod timidly.

His tongue drives into my core, in and out, making me shiver. I keep my lips clamped shut, desperate to keep the moans in, but I cant help but wriggle underneath his actions.

He finally rips my underwear clean off my body, tucking them into the pocket of his pants, and then his hands were cupping the sides of my ass before his lips and tongue were torturing me yet again.

I slap my hand to my mouth, moaning into it as he went harder and faster. My hips buckled against his face.

I looked down to see his ruffled blonde locks deep in between my legs, his back strained underneath his t-shirt. He looked fucking indescribable.

"Draco, please" I moan, looking down at him with my mouth parted.

I try to bring my pelvis back from his face, arching my back up the bed but he held me still, his tongue licking hard against my clit.

Fuck, I was getting close.

I gripped hard on the sheets beside me, my knuckles growing white.

I pinch my nipples through my bra, my hormones racing, my high edging fast. Draco looks up at the movement, a feral look on his features as he watches me. I watch as he climbs back over me, his eyes determined.

"Please I need you inside of me" I beg.

He smirks again before he presses his lips forcefully against my neck, licking and sucking roughly, making my body curve against the bed and press into his on top of me.

His fingers make their way to the edge of my jumper, before he pulls the knit up and over my head, leaving me in just my bra and my lone necklace.

"Fucking hell Flint" he murmurs, his eyes wide and almost drunk-like as he takes me in.

"Only for you" I add.

He looks me in the eyes, his eyes wide at the admission.

"Please, I want you inside of me" I murmur, desperate to feel more of him in my high state. In a desperate need, I pull his own t-shirt off his long torso and over his strong arms and quickly rush to his jeans.

He pulls them down quickly, his own desperation taking over. Kneeling between my legs in just his briefs, his bulge clearly evident, my mouth waters at the pure angelic sight of him.

I couldn't wait any longer.

I swing my legs wide, spread eagle in front of him.

At the sight of me bare in front of him, he pulls his briefs off and his erection springs out, thick and long.

I watch in earnest as he guides the head of his cock to my entrance, where I know he could feel the warm, soaked wetness ready for him. As soon as he touches my clit, I squirm and roll my eyes back.

I look up to find him as almost impatient as I am. The hardness of his bulging pecs graze my soft breasts. He brings his lips to my ear, "Are you ready?".

"Yes" I moan rather loudly.

He grins at my impatience.

I feel the head slip in, my slick folds giving way to his size. My tightness instantly clenching around his shaft, his dick throbbing against my walls. I moan loudly, not wanting to be quiet any longer.

The sound spurred something in Draco and before I knew it, he was grabbing my legs and spreading them further, pushing deeper into me.

I arch my back in response, and move my hips to guide him deeper. I couldn't help but whimper under my breath, the feeling of his enormous size blending with the tingling intense pleasure up my spine. My high from the weed mixed with the high I was getting from Draco was making my body shake uncontrollably. My hips pitched up in the air automatically when I feel his cock hit the back of my cervix.

"Fuck" I moan at the sudden jolt.

My pelvis bucks hard against his hard abs.

I felt his dick twitch inside of me, and I felt the mounting pressure building. I threw my hips against him again, feeling his dick pressing against my cervix.

As he continued to thrust heavily and deep, I locked my ankles around his back and started to fuck him with wild abandon. He was completely intoxicating, he was addictive.

It felt too good to stop. _Fuck, I was already getting close._

My body withered against his abdomen with more encouraging humps. I bit my lower lip as I felt Draco tense beneath my hands now pressed against his back.

"Cum inside of me now" I demand, looking up into his hooded eyes.

My calves slapped against his ass and I pulled him in deep and held him there. There was nothing left to do but make him lose himself in this bliss, let it overtake the both of us.

"Not until you do" he murmurs, his thrusts still deep and rough.

The demand from him triggered something in my stomach, and I moaned as my walls started to flutter around his cock. My whole body shuddered beneath him as we both came to a release.

A thick spray filled the inside of my uterus, the organismic contractions taking over as I lost myself in a sea of euphoria. I became so swept up in my own orgasmic convulsions that I couldn't hear myself screaming Draco's name.

I feel my body finally release from the contractions, my limbs both light and heavy at the same. Draco collapses on top of me, his breath heavy.

I rest my head against his collar bone and close my eyes.

"Fucking hell Flint" he mutters against my neck.


	38. The Interruption

**Draco's POV**

"I'm not sure if I prefer you in that matching set or naked" I mumble into her ear. I thumb the edge of the black lace of her bra.

"Can I have my underwear back now?" She sings. Her head was nestled into my shoulder, her bare legs were knotted around mine.

"Hmmmm no" I tease, kissing her forehead.

We were both still naked, our bodies still hot and feverish from the incredibly rough sex we just had.

She lifts her head up off me and places her hands on my chest, her fingers tracing my muscles on my stomach.

"I've never had sex high" she admits, her eyes hooded as she stares absentmindedly at my chest.

"How did it feel?" I chuckle.

"I'm not sure if it was the weed or just you to be honest" she mumbles, before reaching up and leaving wet kisses on my collarbone.

"How about you try and stay sober next time we fuck?" I tease, remembering that past few times we've had sex we've both been drunk.

I feel her laugh against my chest. I look down to find her lying down on me, her dark hair fanned out beneath her.

"Draco?" I hear her timid voice say.

"Yeah"

"I actually really like you"

I can't help but tense my shoulders.

I listen to her breathing slow, as if she was falling asleep right on my chest.

"I really like you too" I whisper, so quietly I'm not even sure I want her to hear.  
  
  


\--  
  
  


We wake up to a loud banging on my door, the scones were still alight but I could sense that it was quite late at night.

Before I could move from underneath Aster, I hear someone mumble 'Alohamora' and the door swings open.

Aster jumps up, pulling a nearby blanket to cover herself.

Goyle stands in the doorframe, his eyes wide with humour, a smarmy grin present on his face.

"Fucking knew it" he mumbles before striding into my room.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I yell, jumping up from my bed and snatching my briefs from the floor.

Goyle flicks his eyebrows up at my nakedness, his eyes still sparkling with hilarity.

"Was actually trying to find you to speak about Flint" he says, nodding his head towards Aster, still hiding beneath the blanket on my bed. Her cheeks were bright red, her eyes wide.

"Why?" I ask curious.

I pick up Asters jumper and hand it over to her.

"I found out who knocked her out and why" he explains, his eyes trying to find a place that wasn't near Aster. I saw a slight blush brush over his face.

At least he was being decent enough to not stare.

"Why would you care?" Aster spits out, her knitted jumper now covering her top half, the blanket covering the bottom.

Goyle's eyes flicker to her in annoyance.

"Look I don't give a fuck about you two. I'm not like the rest, I don't despise half-bloods or even muggle-borns" He explains, his eyes serious, "and I've known since our third year that Malfoy over here has been in love with you".

I shoot him a deadly glare. I've never told anyone that I've had a thing for Aster.

I feel Aster's stare on me but I can't look at her right now.

"I also don't enjoy violence" he explains.

I furrow my eyebrows at him. Who is he?

I think back to my years of being friends with Goyle. It was always Crabbe and Montague getting into fights and pushing people around, Goyle always watched and laughed but I'd actually never seen him lay a hand on anyone.

"Still why do you care?" Aster argues, her face red with anger.

"Millie..." he looks up and see's us both staring at him confused, "Millicient Bulstrode?"

I look at him even more confused. What has Bulstrode got to do with anything?

He shakes his head and continues, "I've been seeing Millie for a while now..." he admits, his hand scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, "um well- she told me Pansy stunned Flint, and that she nearly hexed her before Millie stepped in" he explains, his voice quieter.

"Why would Pansy stun me?" Aster asks, her eyes searching Goyles. She was on her knees now at the edge of my bed, my blanket still wrapped tightly around her.

"Millie said Parkinson wouldn't tell her, only said that she _had to_ because Bainbridge wouldn't do it"

I look over at Aster in shock. Her face was now ashen and her eyes were wide.

"Why would Harper have to? Why would Pansy have to? What's going on Goyle?!" I demand, my blood now boiling, my head spinning.

I look over to find Aster staring straight at the wall behind Goyle.

"I don't know, I just thought you wanted to know" Goyle stutters.

I look at him, incredulous rage filling my veins.

"Why did you have to rush in here to tell us that? You couldn't wait until morning?" I ask.

This time Goyle relaxes and gives me a smirk.

"I wanted to see if it was really Flint you were shagging" he explains, giving me a cheesy wink.

"Fuck off" I say in reply.

"Are you alright?" I ask her.

She faces me, but her eyes seem lost and distant.

She nods ever so slightly.

"Dude, how long has you been seeing each other?" Goyle asks, his eyes wide as he looks back and forth at Aster and I.

I find my pillow and peg it at his huge head.

"Fuck off and don't tell anyone" I demand, desperate for him to leave us alone.

He chuckles, but gives me a reassuring smile nodding towards Aster.

"She gonna be ok?" he asks.

I nod once before turning my attention back to her.

Her eyelashes were wet now and her fingers were scratching her bare thigh that had slipped free from my blanket.

I hear Goyle leave my room, shutting my door behind me.

Thank god.

"I need to ask Harper" Aster mutters, her tone grave. Her eyes were still slightly bloodshot from the weed and there were tears now present in the corners of her green eyes but she seemed to be coming down from her high.

"Do you want to find her now?" I ask. I awkwardly sit to her side, careful not to touch her. She seemed too fragile right now, I didn't know how to console crying girls. I was normally the one to make them cry in the first place.

"No" she says, her eyebrows furrowing, "It's late, I don't want to confront her in front of the others in the dorm" she explains. She turns her small body towards me, her hands find my arm.

She pulls herself on top of me, leaving her blanket behind. I shuffle backwards to lean my back to the headboard and let her settle in my lap, both her knees on either side of my hips.

I grip her waist softly, still not sure how to be around her.

"Why would she be talking to Parkinson, they hate each other?" she ponders.

"Why would they want to fucking stun you?" I ask her, furious.

We both sit in silence, our thoughts racing for an answer.

I needed to get to the middle of this. I had been so distracted with Aster, I had completely lost touch with the comings and goings at school. This wouldn't have happened if I knew about it. Was this just Pansy being a immature bully or was there more to it? Why was Bainbridge involved with Parkinson?

"Can I stay here again?" She whispers. Her eyes look tired, her perfect mouth now downturned.

She looked exhausted.

"Sure" I say, not daring to tear my eyes away from hers.

She leans down and rests her head in the nook of my neck, and presses her lips softly to my neck.

  
"I'm going to kill Goyle" I moan underneath her touch.

I hear her breath push out from her mouth in a sigh.

"Wait" she says suddenly, she pulls out from my neck and looks at me. This time her eyes have a slight sparkle to them.

I look at her wary.

"What?"

"He said you've been in love with me since our third year" she teases, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

"Fuck off Flint, he doesn't know what he's talking about" I quickly retort.

"Sure Sure" she mutters, still looking at me with curiosity.

"If I wanted you then I would have had you"

She raises one eyebrow in defiance.

"No way" she laughs.

"Yeah I would" I bite back.

"No you wouldn't". Her eyes completely light up now, and I feel her body relax on top of me.

"I'm going to fucking kill Goyle" I mutter.


	39. The Vague Confrontation

**Aster's POV**

I woke up early, prying myself from Draco's tangled limbs and quietly getting dressed. Draco was still sleeping, his breaths deep and slow. He looked so young and peaceful lying there, I couldn't bring it in myself to wake him.

Instead, I hurried out of the boys dormitory and slipped into my own room. I immediately downed my tonic, and mentally noted to see a healer about a more permanent way for contraception if I was going to continue with Draco.

It seemed like everyone was still fast asleep, Harper's curtains were shut around her bed but I could hear her small snores as I walked past. All I felt was a numbness radiate all over my body, and not the type that emanated from being high. No this one, felt deeper. I was pretty certain I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, so I pulled on my uniform and wrapped my robes around myself tightly, keeping the cool morning winter air out as I made my way out of the common room and to the Great Hall.

It was 6am, only a couple of early risers were eating breakfast in the vast hall. I looked at the pancake stack oozing with sticky syrup in front of me but my stomach groaned aguishly at the sight of it.

Instead, I picked up the school books I brought with me and tried to get lost in the world of Astronomy. The coordinates in my notes distracted me for long enough that I didn't hear the rush of students coming in for breakfast before class started. Blaise shook me out of my distracted concentration and I found the whole table next to me was full of Slytherin students. My eyes felt sore and my head started to pound from the intense attentiveness I had just given my homework.

"You ok? I didn't see you after _he_ pulled you out of my room" Blaise asks quietly, squeezing in next to me on the bench. His tall frame pushed against mine, the warmness from his body made my body stiffen.

"Yeah" I say, my mind still trying to concentrate on the homework in front of me.

I was so determined not to think about last night.

My eyes slightly unfocused, I lift my head up and watch as Blaise piles a stack of butterscotch pancakes onto his plate.

"Had a big night?" Blaise mocks.

I pull my eyes from the dripping syrup edging off one of his pancakes and finally look at Blaise straight on.

His dark familiar eyes sparkle with the question, a corner of his lip turned up slightly in amusement.

"Could say that" I mumble, flicking my eyes back to my notes.

"You ok?" Blaise pushes, a slight tinge of worry highlighting his question this time.

His question makes my chest tighten and I suddenly feel like I can't breathe. The noise in the hall makes my head thump and my ears ring.

"I need to go" I say abruptly.

Avoiding his gaze, I gather my books in my arms and push myself away from the table. As I storm out of the great hall I hear Blaise call my name but my feet carry me until I reach Potions.

Potions class.

Potions with Harper.

The realisation didn't hit me until I reached the grey metal bracketed door. I look over to our usual bench just opposite the class, the bench Harper and I usually rested on during our break in our double period.

What was I going to say?

I didn't even know how to feel.

Should I feel angry? Sad?

Should I even confront her?

She had been my best friend since day one at Hogwarts. We had done everything together, spent multiple holidays together, studied for many tests together, we had even planned to travel Europe together after school finished. In that moment, the confusion, anxiety and anger finally caught up to me.

This was going to be the first time I had to see her since that night. Since she told us we were never real friends.

I didn't even think about class together.

Would she even sit next to me?

Would she come?

My mind was racing, my head thumping.

I pulled myself away from the door and slumped down on our bench.

"Ast" I hear a familiar deep voice say. A voice that normally made my toes curl and my blood to sing.

I look up to find Draco strolling towards me. He was clad in his Slytherin uniform, he looked refined and refreshed, the complete opposite to what I was currently feeling.

He sits himself right next to me, if I was in the right head space I would have probably told him to move.

But my head was swimming with thoughts about Harper, about what she really meant by her words the other night, what it meant about her and Parkinson.

"I saw you run out at breakfast, are you ok?"

He was concerned. I was still getting used to this side of Draco.

"I'm fine" I snap. My impatience was wearing thin. It was all getting too much.

"Fuck I was just seeing if you were ok" Draco snaps back. He slides further away from me. I finally look up and find his eyes wide but angry.

With the sickly mix of thousands of emotions running through my head, my brain flipped a switch.

"Look I'm fine, I don't need you coddling me"

The words leave my mouth before I can stop them. He tightens his jaw, his eyes narrow at my outburst.

"Fuck Flint, fine. Don't come crawling back to me when Bainbridge fucks you over" he snaps back, a sharp bite to his tone.

I watch as he storms off and into class.

I didn't have time to regret my words. Harper's black curls come into view, she looks completely normal. Her make up pristine, her hair in perfect ringlets, she strolls down the hallway towards me, her head high.

Her eyes catch mine briefly, but she doesn't stop to acknowledge me. If it wasn't for the fact that I had known Harper for years, I probably wouldn't have noticed the way her eyelids flickered when she saw me, the way the dimple in her cheek twitched. The small tells that spoke volumes to me.

Before she could walk into class, I stand up and block her way.

Her heels clang against the cobblestones as she stops sharply in front of me. Her upturned brown eyes wide with surprise.

"I need to talk to you" I say confidently.

"I don't have anything to say" She replies, her voice bossy and sharp.

"You have plenty to say" I reply.

She doesn't move but instead she just stares at me, I swear I see a flash of concern flitter across her face.

"You know something about why I got stunned the other day" I simply state. I examine her face for a reaction, but she doesn't give me one.

"Why would I know about that?" she asks instead.

I narrow my eyes in frustration. This wasn't going to be easy.

I pull her to our bench just to the side so other students can get past. She pulls out of my grasp and scoffs at my touch.

The noise makes my slightly recoil. The disgust evident in her face.

"Stop with the act Harper. You're my best friend. What the fuck is going on?"

Her eyes narrow at my words. She crosses her arms tightly around her books and look straight at me.

"I know Parkinson stunned me at Quidditch on Saturday and I heard you had something to do with it as well. Why would you want to hurt me? What have I even done to you?" my voice breaks at the last question, and I can feel my heart rattle in my ribcage, as if it was shaking from anticipation from the possible heartbreak it was about to receive.

"I didn't want to hurt you" Harper admits, but her tone is serious and her eyes blaze with fury. "But maybe you should actually open your eyes up to what's happening around you? Maybe you would realise there's more to life then just shagging some low life that actually wants nothing to do with you" she spits.

The words tumble in my head and my brain struggles to make sense of them.

After a few seconds of tension filled silence, I finally form a coherent question, albeit not a great one.

"What do you mean?"

"For fuck sake Aster, not everything is about boys and schoolwork. Do you not talk to your own parents? Do you not realise that there's a fucking war brewing?" She spits out. Her eyes flicker down the hallway, and I notice her knuckles grow white as she grips her books tightly to her chest.

"Of course I know what's happening out there. But that's not happening at Hogwarts" I explain frustrated at the fact she was trying to make me look naïve and stupid.

"Of course its happening at Hogwarts" She angrily replies, her eyes flick again down the hallway and she huffs violently before she turns away from me.

"Open you're eyes Aster" she voices before she vanishes in the crowd now filling the hallway around us.

What the fuck was going on? What did she mean it was happening at Hogwarts?

I didn't even have time to hypothesize theories. The hallway started to empty out and I forced myself to go to class.

Everyone is already sitting in their usual seats, my eyes instantly flick to Draco's spot. His white blonde hair hung heavily in front of his eyes as he doodled on a piece of parchment in front of him. My heart twangs at the sight.

Harper was sitting in her seat but she had shuffled her stool over to the furthest possible point.

_Seriously?_

I walk over to our table, Goyle lifts his head at my arrival and I freeze as he stares at me. I had been so caught up in the business with Harper, I had completely forgot about Goyle catching Malfoy and I. Before I can begin to think about what to do, Goyle gives me a wink and a cheeky grin.

_Fucking hell._

I sit myself on my stool, meters away from Harper. I busy myself with shuffling my notes, but the awkward tension between the whole table feels so thick and impossible to ignore.

I find Draco staring at Harper, his eyes curious. Goyle stares at Malfoy with a peculiar expression and I catch him look between Malfoy and Harper before looking pointedly at me. I shrug my shoulders in answer. Crabbe dumbly chews on a fingernail, completely oblivious to the thick tension between the group.

"Mate, where were you last night? I found Goyle getting high with his new mate. Should have seen how fucking gone they were" Crabbe chuckles, looking over at Draco.

The tension seems to break and everyone flicks their gaze up at Crabbe's voice. Even Harper looks up, distaste growing across her eyes.

"I was busy" Draco mutters, uninterested.

Crabbe nudges Goyle and gives him a wink.

Goyle looks over at Crabbe with exasperation. Its the first time I've properly looked at Goyle, his mannerisms were actually completely different to Crabbe's. He didn't snicker at Crabbe's joke and instead he rolls his eyes. I always saw them as a pair, now I could see them as individuals.

Crabbe continues anyway.

"Blaise lives up to his name lets just say that" he snorts.

Blaise's name causes Harper to look up. The sudden movement makes me look sharply to my side. Her eyes are wide, her face unsure.

"Blaise doesn't smoke" she says quietly, but loud enough for Crabbe to hear from across the table.

"Well he does now" he laughs, poking Goyle in the ribs.

Goyle notices the tension and concern in Harper's voice and looks over at me in question. I shake my head.

"Shut the fuck up Crabbe" Goyle mutters.

The whole time, Malfoy just stares at his notes in silence, not even bothering to look up at the conversation between Goyle and Crabbe. I stare at him shamelessly, hoping to get his attention. Just a little look so I can say sorry about before.

Now that Goyle knew, I didn't feel the need to be so secretive about Draco and I. It even sounded like Harper realised. Maybe we hadn't been so good at keeping it a secret as we thought?

Professor Slughorn finally walks in and coughs awkwardly to get the class's attention. Students around us quickly grow silent, ending their conversations and finally pulling out their equipment and notes.

"Ok class, today were going to be working on the wound-cleaning potion. Extremely important and beneficial to know at the top of your head. I do however, want to test you on how well you work in a pair with this potion. So if you could please partner up and I can start handing out the ingredients" Slughorn tells the class.

I look to my side at Harper, her face pale against the cool light of the classroom.

She twists round, her eyes dancing with perversity.

"Why don't you partner up with your new boyfriend over there this time?" She asks, loud enough for the whole table to hear.

My stomach drops as she points to Draco.

Before I can form a reply or even fake laugh at her suggestion, Goyle speaks up.

"Fuck if we partner them up, they're going to be tearing each other throats before we get to step two" Goyle laughs.

I look over and find Draco's face drained, his eyes wide and his face ashen. Crabbe looks between us all in confusion, his mouth opening and closing, gaping like a goldfish.

"What does she mean by boyfriend?" Crabbe asks finally.

"She was being sarcastic you fucking idiot" Goyle explains, rolling his eyes.

"I knew that" Crabbe mutters before grabbing his textbook and flickering through it.

Goyle gives me a wink and I give him a small smile in thanks. I look over at Draco and find his eyes blazing into mine. He was still pissed off at me.

"You've got to be kidding me" Harper mutters beside me.

The comment makes my blood boil.

"You know what Harper, if you don't want to be my partner, don't be. I'd rather risk it with those fucking idiots than put up with your disrespectful and vague bullshit" I spit out, before picking up my stool and placing it on the other side of the table right next to Draco.

I look over to find her eyes blazing into mine.

"This will be interesting" Crabbe murmurs humorously.

"I thought I told you not to come crawling back to me" Draco hisses just loud enough for only me to hear.

I look to my left, he was still looking down at his notes.

"I'm not crawling, I walked here" I reply.


	40. The Spoilt Potion

**Draco's POV**

I watched as she frustratedly stirred the pewter cauldron steaming in front of her. We were supposed to be partners in this but I couldn't bring myself to talk to her. The way she pushed me away instantly not only made my blood boil but I felt all air in my lungs suck out in one swift motion. I didn't want to feel that.

She was also silent as she worked, she hadn't spoken to me since I told her she couldn't crawl back to me. Instead she threw her fury into the black smoking cauldron. Every now and then I saw her flick her eyes towards Harper, her eyebrows furrowed and stern. Harper was ignoring the blazing looks and instead focusing on her own work but I could tell she was flustered. She kept dropping her ladle and cursing under her breath.

They were so similar, Aster and Harper. Both stubborn, both fiery, but Aster was warm amidst her fire, Harper always seemed to leave ash in her wake. I remember Bainbridge's tryst with Peter Higgs, a half blood a year older than us. She completely ripped his heart into two when she decided to leave him stranded at the Yule ball to go with a Hufflepuff. The wet blanket had pissed off the whole Slytherin house for weeks, with his incessant winging and outbursts. She just laughed every time she saw him glaring at her when she strolled through the common room. At least Aster had the decency to cringe every time Harper chuckled at Higgs' expense. I'm pretty sure she said sorry to the poor bloke once.

I had no idea why the two were always so inseparable. Maybe Blaise was the calm to their burning storm. He didn't seem as bad as I always thought him to be.

Aster's yelp pulled me out of my thoughts. She had ironically burnt a strand of hair from a wafting flame. Her cheeks were bright red and her stern eyes made the whole look quite humorous.

She slumped onto her stool in defeat. In the corner of her eyes I spotted a trickle of a tear. The sight made my heart skip a beat.

"Don't fucking cry over a spoilt potion Flint" I scoffed.

Her eyes turned heavily to me, shooting fiery daggers.

"Maybe you could actually help me" she said through gritted teeth.

"Nah" I simply said, giving her a smirk.

This time my smirk didn't work. Her wet eyes draw themselves back to her cauldron.

Her stubbornness made me furious. I had no idea where it came from but I hated the fact she simply relented and didn't give me anything back.

I shoved my stool closer to hers, and instantly grabbed her thigh with my right hand underneath the table. I squeezed possessively, enjoying the heat radiating from her bare skin.

"Don't turn away from me" I hissed into her ear.

He shoulders tensed at my breath on her ear. I was too close to her in such a public place but I couldn't let her dismiss me like that.

"Fuck off" she whispers back.

I watch as she looks towards Crabbe and Goyle. She finds them both dumbly fussing over their own cauldron.

"They aren't paying attention to us. But I will need you paying attention to me" I whisper, causing her to turn her head slightly towards me. Her eyes don't look at me, instead they look down at her textbook.

"Darling, are you listening to me?"

She nods her head ever so slightly, and I feel her legs clamp together.

"No I need you to relax" I order, pushing her leg off my hand still clamped on her thigh.

"You can't come crawling back to me and expect me not to punish you for how you acted"

"I told you, I didn't come crawling back to you. I had no choice" she mutters angrily.

"You chose me over her" I whisper back.

Suddenly, her own hand clamped around mine on her thigh. She wiped her head towards me, and looked at me confused before pushing my hand off her thigh and standing up.

The abrupt force made me stumble on my stool.

What the fuck?

She was really getting on my nerves today.

I watched as she continued to stir her cauldron with no effect.

"Dude her best friend just fucked her over, give her a break" Goyle's thick voice sounded from behind me.

I flicked my gaze to him.

"It's none of your fucking business" I grunted before I pulled my stool away from Aster and continued doodling on my textbook.

Goyle stayed standing behind me. I flicked my gaze towards Crabbe's seat but couldn't find him anywhere.

"I need to talk to Bulstrode," Aster suddenly piped up, her eyes glaring at Goyle with determination.

"Uh ok?" Goyle stumbles confused.

"I need to know what's happening..."

Goyle and I looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Well Parkinson won't ever tell me what's going and apparently she won't either" she says, nodding her head towards Harper. Harper was still busy with her potion, unseemingly not listening to our conversation.

"The only person that will have some kind of information would be Bulstrode" she explains.

"Information?" I ask her.

She sits back down on her stool and runs her hands through her now frizzy hair.

"Apparently something's happening at Hogwarts that we are completely oblivious to"

I look at Goyle, but he seems just as confused as I.

"Boys are useless" she mutters, before picking her wand up and making her useless potion disappear.

"I don't think Millie knows anything" Goyle says quietly.

"She might" Aster replies, "Does she take divination next?" Aster asks Goyle.

Goyle looks up in surprise.

"Why would I know?" he asks skeptically.

Aster smirks and the familiar gleam to her emerald eyes makes my body shiver.

"I thought you guys were close" she says, raising one eyebrow.

Goyle stutters and looks nervously around the room.

"Yes she has divination next" he huffs out in defeat.

Aster smiles and taps him on the shoulder as a thanks. I watch them both, the friendly scene between the two so odd and unusual.

"Why does no one know about the two of you?" I ask curiously.

Goyle's pale face goes a splotchy red.

"Why does no one know about you two?" he asks, motioning to Aster and myself.

I glare at him lividly. Does he really need me to explain?

"I'm a half-blood remember?" Aster pointedly says, her eyes now coldly blaring into my own.

"Oh yeah, I forgot Malfoy over here was fucked up" Goyle chuckles, punching me on my arm.

"Fuck off. You have no reason to hide your relationship with Bulstrode" I jab, rubbing my arm from his unnecessary punch.

"I haven't hid it, no one has asked" he mumbles before heading towards Crabbe, now returning from the bathroom.

**Aster's POV**

I didn't bother with the potion in the end. Professor Slughorn told Malfoy and I that he was severely disappointed in his top students and ordered us to write an essay on the Wound-healing potion and its properties instead. That was the least of my worries though. I had to find Millicent and ask her about Harper.

I left class without saying goodbye, leaving Malfoy to clean up our mess, something I was sure to be 'punished' for later.

Instead I rushed to Charms, desperate to find Blaise and pull him along to see Millicent before she got to class herself.

Blaise was talking to a few Ravenclaw's outside the classroom, he seemed a bit more relaxed than he had been the last few days. Hastily apologising for interrupting their conversation, I pulled Blaise away and towards the direction of the Divination stairwell.

"Aster, where are we going?! we have charms soon" he complained, trying to pull his arm away from my forceful grip around his wrist.

"I need to find Millicent Bulstrode" I said, storming towards the stairwell now only meters in front of me.

"Why?" Blaise called from behind me.

I span round.

"Millicent told Goyle that Harper was supposed to be the one that stunned me the other day, but instead Pansy did it" I rambled giving Blaise an exasperated look before letting go of his wrist and running up the stairwell, dodging students as I went.

I didn't wait for Blaise to catch up, a sudden flooding of urgency filled my veins and I was desperate to sort my racing thoughts.

I hadn't had much to do with Millicent, apart from living in the same dorm room as her for six years, she kept to herself and normally followed Pansy around.

I found Millicent, huddled in the back of the Divination classroom. Hopping over the small cushions spaced around the round, heavily perfumed room, I found myself standing squarely in front of the large girl.

She was extremely tall, with a round face and long coarse black hair. She outsized me favorably but that didn't stop me from staring her down.

"Bulstrode" I said in greeting.

She looked up at me her round eyes wide in surprise. It looked like Parkinson didn't take the same class as her, she was oddly surrounded by a group of Gryffindor girls.

"Flint?" her timid voice questioned suspiciously.

"I need to ask you about Harper and Parkinson" I stated, staring down the girls beside her. The Gryffindor girls wisely backed away and left Millicent and myself alone.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

She was actually quite timid for a girl so large and threatening. I knew from the years we spent in the same room, that she normally kept to herself and avoided drama.

"I heard that you stopped Parkinson from hurting me" I started, suddenly not sure how I was going to go about this discussion.

Her eyes go wide again but quickly narrow.

"Where did you hear that?"

I looked around us. I wasn't friends with Millicent but that didn't mean I had the right to talk loudly about her private life.

"Um Goyle told me" I whispered.

Her face paled but she nodded.

"I can't tell you what you want to hear" she said after a few seconds of silence.

I narrowed my eyes again in frustration.

"Someone has to tell me what's going on? You can't expect me to get fucking knocked out and not know why they did it?!" I argue, my face getting hot, my patience thinning.

Millicent sighed heavily.

"Flint, I seriously can't tell you why. I could get hurt myself" she said quietly this time, her eyes flickering around the room in agitation.

"Who would hurt you?" I ask. I tried to keep my tone soft but it comes out rash and impulsive.

Hey round eyes shot to the floor, and I watched as she fiddled with the edges of her robe.

"All I can say is that there's more going on around here than you think, specifically in Slytherin" her eyes didn't leave the floor, "You need to be careful Flint, I don't want anyone hurt either but some of us have no choice in the matter. Some people have to do things they don't want to do" she mutters almost inaudibly.

My blood boils at the lame explanation.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I yell, now completely enraged.

I ball my fists up and have to stop myself from grabbing my wand and doing something I'll regret.

Millicent looks up at my raised tone and looks at me with sympathy. The weak look makes me want to punch her in the face.

"For fucks sake" I mutter, realising that she wasn't going to explain anything further.

I storm out of the now full classroom, passing displeased looks from students as I push them out of the way. Blaise hangs by the door, a look of worry coating his sharp features.

"What was that about?" he demands.

I push past him and rush down the stairwell. My head was going to explode from all the questions swirling around in my thoughts.

"Aster, please talk to me!" Blaise yells, his tone far from annoyance now. The unfamiliar pitch of his voice makes me freeze.

I hear his steps hurriedly make their way down to me.

"Aster, what's going on? What did you mean about Harper?" he asks, his voice softer now, almost scared.

I look up to find Blaise's dark eyes wide with worry.

I wasn't used to this dynamic with Blaise, normally it was him comforting me, righting wrongs and talking sense into us girls.

"Let me explain" I say, before pulling him towards a nearby bench and letting it all out. Letting the last few days of pent up anger and frustration spill.

\--

Blaise decided to write to his parents, to see if they had heard anything from Harper's family. He thought it had something to do with her mum. I had no idea why stunning me would have anything to do with her mum but he seemed relentless.

I thought maybe Draco knew more than he was letting on, or if maybe the other boys in Slytherin were involved like Millicent said. It didn't sound like Goyle was involved but maybe Montague and Crabbe knew something.

I thought back to the beginning of term, when Nott had to be sent home. Blaise mentioned that it had something to do with his parents ordering him home and I distinctly remembered a rumor about the dark lord. If it had to do with the Dark Lord I had no idea what I was going to do. I was just a measly Hogwarts student that really didn't have much of a talent for dueling or the dark arts. I had no chance against a force that big. The thought of Harper being involved with the Death Eaters made my stomach coil and my throat dry. No matter how horrible she had been to me the last few days, I couldn't let her go down that road.

I mentioned this theory to Blaise but he wouldn't hear it. I don't think he could even stomach the very thought of Harper being involved in the Dark Arts. I don't think his heart could handle it.

Then as if my thoughts had suddenly sorted themselves out in my frazzled brain, something clicked. Draco. His father was a Death Eater.

I didn't mention this to Blaise. I promised Draco I wouldn't say anything to anyone.

A mix of dread as well as hope filled my stomach. If Draco found out more about the Death Eaters, maybe we could cross out the fact that Pansy and Harper had something to do with them.

All of a sudden, a bubble of laughter spilled out of my mouth.

The very notion that Harper was a Death Eater was foolish. The very notion that Hogwarts Students were Death Eaters was idiotic. Dumbledore would never let that happen.

I shook my head. I clearly needed some sleep.

This was probably just some stupid school drama. It was just Harper being dramatic. She was probably acting out because her mum was sick. Maybe I should just give her space and things would get back to normal after Christmas in a few weeks.

**Draco's POV**

I was still furious at Aster leaving me in Potions to clean up. She was clearly pushing my buttons to get a rise out of me.

I was just about to find her when a large Eagle owl swooped from a nearby open window and dropped a letter into my hands.

It was from my father.

I was being ordered home immediately.


	41. Going Home

**Aster's POV**

"Malfoy's been looking for you" Blaise says as I approach him in the common room.

I look at him surprised. I hadn't seen Draco since Potions, maybe he was still mad about me leaving him like that still.

"Where is he?" I ask Blaise, one eyebrow raised.

"Said he would be in his room?" Blaise cringes, his cheeks going a slight pink under his dark skin.

I laugh at his awkwardness.

"He told you this?"

Blaise nods, his lips turned up in disgust, "He looked like he was going to combust just from speaking to me, I don't know how you put up with him" he mutters, before returning to his magazine on the couch.

I laugh and squeeze his arm in comfort, before heading off to the boys dormitory. I lean on one of the walls separating the boys from the girls and wait for a group of boys to leave the hallway before I make my way to Draco's door.

With the all clear, I rush towards his room and push the heavy door open. His room is a mess, his trunk splayed on his bed. I watch as he mutters a charm to sort his clothes into his trunk.

"What's going on?" I ask, slightly worried. I lock the door behind me and make my way to the opposite side of his bed to face him.

His grey eyes are narrowed, his lips tight.

"Fuck, finally. I've been looking for you all afternoon" he mumbles, giving me a stern look.

"Sorry I was studying in the library" I mumble, my mind still trying to catch up with the fact he was packing his bags. Christmas break wasn't for another two weeks. Why was he packing now?

"I need to go home" he says simply, swishing his wand to shut the trunk on his bed. The sound reverberates through the room, filling the odd silence between us.

I stare at his trunk in disbelief.

"Why?"

"I got a letter from my father that said I needed to go home immediately" he says as he makes he way around his bed and towards me. His face relaxes once his eyes meet mine, he pulls his white school shirt sleeves up revealing his pale strong arms.

His warmth immediately engulfs me, the smell of fresh peppermint makes my frayed nerves slightly less tangled. I watch as he picks up his hand and cups my cheek, brushing his fingers on my jaw.

"I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye" he murmurs, his eyes softly looking at my lips.

"Why do you have to go home?" I ask him, looking up into his eyes for an answer.

"He didn't say but I can't not go" he grumbles, his jaw clenching.

He leaves his hand on my cheek and brings his lips to mine, softly grazing them before pulling away.

"I thought you were angry at me" I murmured, my mind muddled from his kiss and the fact he was leaving so soon.

"Never, Flint" he smirks. He removes his hand from my cheek and I instantly feel cold from his absence.

"Will you be back?"

"After Christmas I expect...I hope" he says turning away and flicking his wand to move his trunk off his bed.

I absentmindedly move my hand to my chest and quickly remember that I still had his ring. For a quick second, I thought about not giving it back to him.

"Uh, your ring?" I mumble, threading the necklace between my fingers and undoing the clasp to release it.

"Your father probably would ask where it was if you weren't wearing it" I explain awkwardly. I feel my cheeks heat up as I thumble the ring and pass it to Draco.

He looks at me curiously, but he takes the ring from my hand. I watch as he slips the ring back onto his finger, his hand now only slightly yellow with the remnants of bruises.

"Yeah you're probably right" he mumbles, his eyes lifting to look at the space where the ring once was on my neck.

I feel my neck grow hotter under his stare and I curse myself for being so awkward around him.

"I don't think he would like it if you told him you gave it to some girl you were fucking" I clumsily laugh at my attempt at a joke. The tension felt wrong, like someone had stretched an already tight string around us and suddenly the string was knotted awkwardly at the center.

His light eyes stare at me oddly.

"Your not just some girl I'm fucking" he mumbles quietly, his eyebrows furrowed.

I narrow my eyes, wondering if I heard that right.

"No?" I ask, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about the way I was standing. I shuffle my feet and pull my robe sleeves down.

He walks closer to me, stepping around his trunk now on the floor between us. I shiver as his hands slip underneath my robes and settle on my waist. He pulls me close and I have no choice but to look up into his eyes.

"Look, I'll write to you when I'm away and maybe I can get away from the Manor and we can meet up over Christmas?" He asks hopefully.

My heart sinks when he doesn't answer my question, but the small hope in his voice helps me stay still in his arms.

"Ok deal" I whisper before he leans into me and places his soft lips on mine. I slant my mouth over his and force his lips to part. Burying my hands in his white hair, I pull and mould my tongue with his, letting them dance fiercely in our mouths. I wasn't going to get this for a while, so you bet I was going to get the best kiss out of him I could. I can't help but writher against him as I feel his body press keenly against mine in response.

His kisses grow more feral as his hardness grows against my inner thigh, but before I can run my hands down his chest he pulls away. I groan at the sudden movement.

The tension in the room is suddenly thick.

"I need to go" he says between gulps of breathes. His hair was rumpled from my hands and his lips looked swollen. I clench my thighs at the sight.

He notices my clenched thighs and sighs loudly.

"Fuck sake" he groans, running his hand through his hair, "If I had more time, I would fuck you right here on this bed and punish you for the shit you put me through this morning" his eyes glare lustfully at me.

"When do you have to leave?" I ask, dropping the cadence of my voice low and looking up at him between my eyelashes.

"Not enough time to fuck you like you deserve" he purrs deeply, his eyes lewdly staring into mine.

Goosebumps erupt all over my skin and my lower stomach thrums with arousal.

Draco steps back further from me, as if the distance would help our aroused state. _Not likely._

"I need to go" he states, tearing his eyes away from my face and to his trunk.

"Ok" is the only thing I can think of saying.

I don't know how I feel about him leaving for so long. The last month had been a whirlwind of emotions between us and I never really had a chance to think about anything and now he was leaving before Christmas. We didn't have the opportunity to think things through, to think about us.

Maybe that was a good thing?

Maybe him leaving so abruptly was better for us. This way we couldn't ruin anything.

"See you Flint, don't get into too much trouble without me" he says before flicking his wand making his trunk disappear.

"You know I can't promise you that" I retort, giving him my best smirk.

He smirks back and gives me a wink before turning around and leaving me alone in his now empty-ish room.

Now what?

\--

I leave his room immediately. I couldn't stand the intense smell of peppermint he left behind.

Maybe now that Draco was gone, I could focus on finding out what was happening at Hogwarts?

We would probably have to wait a few days for a reply from Blaise parents and I didn't get a chance to ask him about his father and the Death Eaters. Maybe I could write to him about it?

I couldn't help but wonder if Draco being sent home was the same reason Nott was sent home. But I quickly squashed that thought because Nott never came back and I couldn't think about Draco not coming back either.

Maybe it was a family emergency?

Fuck, my head was pounding again from all of the unanswered questions.

I find Blaise in the same position I left him in. I shove his feet off the couch and plonk myself down next to him with a heavy sigh.

"What's up?"

"Draco left, his father sent him home" I tell him.

He looks up and gives me a curious look.

"We need to find out what's going on with this school Blaise" I huff before leaning towards him and resting my head on his neck.

His body stiffens but after a few seconds he relaxes.

"I feel like were the only ones that have no idea what's going on" I murmur.

**Draco's POV**

I was informed that I was to use Professor Snape's fireplace. I meet him in his office, his smarmy beaded eyes followed me as I walked into his icy room.

"Why am I being sent home?" I ask him impatiently.

His head tilts as he studies me.

"Your family needs you right now" he simply says, turning his tall body and swinging his robe along with him.

"Is someone hurt?" I ask confused. The vague information I was getting was really started to agitate me.

"They will be if you don't go home" he says sharply before shoving a palm of floo powder into my hand and pushing me towards his tall dark fireplace.

\--

The smell of soot thrusted up my nostrils as my feet heavily planted themselves on the polished green and white marble floor that was my families drawing room.

After coughing up a good amount of dust, I was met with my father's piercing stare. He was lounging on a nearby black velvet armchair, his long black cane resting against his leg.

"Why am I here?" I demand, not bothering with pleasantries.

He looks at me with so much contempt that I can't help but flinch under the unnerving gaze.

"Good to finally see you Son" he pronounces, his tone serious and formal.

I narrow my eyes at him suspiciously.

"He's grown tall Cissy" a snarky female voice echoes from the left of me.

My mother appears from the shadows of the hallway, along with a tall women, her thick long black hair stark against her pale white skin. My aunt.


	42. The Ring

**Aster's POV**

I spent the evening grilling anyone that walked past me in the common room. Blaise cowered in the corner, annoyed at my incessant and demanding questions I had been shooting at everyone.

The only person that gave me even the slightest bit of information was Crabbe. I cornered him next to the fireplace, he was shorter and stubbier than me, so I towered over him and pushed my finger into his broad shoulder.

"I know you know something" I challenged.

Crabbe kept his eyes down.

This had been happening with everyone I had interrogated. Montague told me to bluntly _fuck off_ before giving me a huge smug smirk and walking off, Parkinson squealed as I rounded her and whined until I backed off, and Millicent ran as soon as she saw me stroll up to Parkinson. I was having no luck.

So I decided to pull back from my intimidating interrogation and use a different approach.

"Crabbe, look, I just want to get in on the action. I know something important is happening and I want to help" I say on a limb.

From the frightening reactions I had had so far, I had figured that it was important enough to scare people. For Parkinson to stun me was incredibly risky of her. She could have easily gotten expelled if she was caught.

I just had to figure out who was making people do things they didn't want to do. I had a strong feeling it wasn't Pansy behind the cause. She didn't have the nerve or the charisma to charm people into doing as she said.

Crabbe whimpered slightly, his eyes flicking rapidly to and from each side of the common room.

"I don't kn-ow" he stammered.

"Please, Harper won't tell me and I want to help her." I lie, giving him my best puppy dog eyes.

He looks at me, examining my fluttering eyes before replying.

"He only likes purebloods. Harper is an exception" he stammered, his face going pale with fright.

"Who?" I press.

Suddenly, he dodges out of my grasp and sprints towards the boys dormitory.

Fuck.

"Are you done?" Blaise whines, creeping up from behind me.

I shove my hands into my robe pockets and my fingers find a small box. I pull it out confused.

_Did I accidentally put on someone else's robes?_

"What's that?" Blaise questions, noticing the small black box in my hand.

I open it up to find a small note placed on top of a ring clasped on a thin silver chain.

_An early Christmas present. You're own family ring. - Draco_

The silver ring was set with a large emerald gem, silver thorns cradled the large stone. It was beautiful.

"Is that a ring?" Blaise asks, shoving his face closer to the box.

I pulled the ring out of the box, letting the chain fall loose.

He had given me a ring on a necklace.

"He gave you a ring? Merlin, that's a bit serious" Blaise mutters.

"Its on a necklace" I mumble back.

"And?"

"He obviously didn't want to just give me a ring, that could mean all sorts of things. So he put it on a necklace. Doesn't mean anything as serious" I explain, still transfixed by the shining emerald.

"Ok?" Blaise answers unconvincingly.

"I don't have a family ring" I say, finally tearing my eyes away from the ring and to Blaise.

He was still looking down at the box, his expression wary as if something would jump out at the last minute.

"I rarely wear mine"

"Well I never got one" I explain.

"Well that looks expensive"

I roll my eyes at Blaise before I undo the shining clasp and place the necklace around my neck. The ring settles comfortably on my chest.

"He has good taste" I say, giving Blaise a smirk.

This time he rolls his eyes at me.

"He really fucking likes you doesn't he?" Blaise mumbles, walking back towards the table he was previously sitting at. He leans back in his chair and rests his feet on a chair next to him. I follow him, putting the ring box back into my robes.

"What's not to like?" I smirk.

"At least you have someone" he mutters, his voice full of contempt.

I push Blaise's legs off the chair and sit down opposite him.

"You need to take those rose-coloured glasses off Blaise, Harper isn't who we thought she was" I grumpily mumble.

He screws his nose up in response.

"Well Crabbe just said something about a 'he' and that he only likes purebloods. Which explains why we don't know anything about it. But why does that mean Harper can be involved?" I ponder.

"Maybe its some pureblood secret society?"

"A secret society wanting to harm half bloods? I haven't done anything to deserve getting knocked out?" I complain, rubbing my temples.

"Well I don't know Aster. Personally, I'm sick of this bullshit" Blaise complains, tilting his head back on his chair and sighing loudly.

"Me too"

**2 weeks later...**

"Mum, I'm gonna go down to the beach for a walk" I shout down the hallway.

The house was oddly unnerving when I returned for Hogwarts . My father had been cooped up inside his closed study and refused to leave unless it was for the bathroom or food. It wasn't rare for him to act this way, normally it was when he was studying a theory he claimed was groundbreaking and evolutionary. But this time the house was too quiet, too still. My own mother wouldn't go near the study and cried out whenever I went too close. She claimed it was "so important that your father couldn't afford distractions".

I needed to rid myself of the awkward silence, and the beach was my usual go-to for some clarity.

We lived in a coastal town in Kent. Broadstairs was just about as far away as you could get from Hogwarts, and I cursed my parents for residing so far away from my friends. Blaise was in London, Harper not far from him in Cambridge. Normally I would floo back and forth to see them. However, this Christmas, my mother had insisted I spend the full two weeks by her side.

The salty air made my limbs instantly relax. Hogwarts was my real home but Broadstairs was were I grew up. The quintessential seaside town was full of childhood nostalgia. The pinging sounds of the arcade games, the hot vinegar smell of fish and chips, the sweet aroma of candy floss in the summer. It was winter however, and the boardwalk had only a littering of bundled up old couples enjoying the afternoon breeze.

Blaise and I had gotten nowhere with our search for the culprit that was behind attacking me. I'm fairly certain Blaise had lost all hope since he found out Harper was involved. That poor boys heart was more invested in her than I thought. He was sullen, quiet and miserable for the entire two weeks.

I had visited Draco's room only once since he left. It was after we had exhausted all options for the fourth time. Blaise had whined and stormed off and I found my feet wandering towards his empty room. The room still had a slight tinge of peppermint wafting around but his bed was made, his belongings gone. Apart from his forgotten guitar left gathering dust behind his door.

I took it. I figured if he didn't want it over Christmas he wouldn't miss it. It was now that I was strumming the natural walnut guitar perched on my lap as I sat myself on the cold wooden boardwalk in the middle of the beach. The guitar looked expensive, so I allowed my fingers to strum gently. I wasn't musically inclined but I loved to listen, so I let my fingers strum a beat to one of my favourite bands.

Blaise had received a letter back from his parents a few days after Draco left. It was a rushed reply, that held no information apart from the fact that they had not heard from Harpers family since they left for France weeks ago. It wasn't odd that they had left for France, Harpers mother was French and I had often stayed at Harpers grandmothers house in the South of France in the summers. It was just odd that her family would travel considering her mother was sick. Blaise's parents couldn't even confirm what sickness Harpers mother was troubled with.

The last few months had been taxing. I was seventeen and I had been through a rollercoaster of a sixth year in just four months.

I had only received one letter from Draco. I was mildly disappointed but I quickly reminded myself that he owed nothing to me. I had just sent him a thank you for the ring and a letter shortly arrived soon after with a sarcastic quip and a promise to tell me more later. The later never came.

The ring was still resting on my chest. My mother immediately doted on the pretty jewellery and asked who I received it from. Her light blue eyes shined with hope. Hope that I had found someone to call my own, like her and my father. She despised my casual relationships and my flippant way with my sexuality and had always wanted me to find my sweetheart early. The whole notion made me want to vomit.

I loved my parents and their love for each other. But sometimes that love seemed to blind them, seem to blind them from reality and even sometimes from their only child.

I told her it was from Harper and Blaise. An early Christmas present.

The look of pure disappointment was quite humorous.

The only sound from where I was sitting was the strumming of the guitar and the thrashing of the waves in front of me.

Lost in thought and the vibrations from the guitar, a crack in the air made me jump from the boardwalk and fall face first into the sand in front of me.

Looking behind me, I find my mother storming out from behind a nearby beach hut. Her dark hair was lashing against her face, her light eyes flashing with rage.

"Aster Flint!" Her normally kind, graceful voice was now booming across the boardwalk.

I pick myself up from the sand and dust myself off. Holding the guitar in my hand, I stare at my mum in bewilderment.

"Mum?"

"I didn't say you could leave the house!" she yells. She immediately grabs my arm and drags me with her towards the beach huts.

"What?" I question, unaware of the new rule that had just been imposed.

"You can't just wander. You need to be in the house at all times" she says, her eyes flicking back and forth across the boardwalk. Her eyebrows are furrowed and from this close, I can see the dark circles underneath her eyes.

She pulls me behind a pink and purple striped beach house. She looks down at me and notices I'm holding Draco's guitar. Her eyebrows raise in surprise.

"Keep that close" she mutters, before grasping my wrist tighter and appariting with a pop.  
  
  



	43. Broadstairs

**Aster's POV**

I still wasn't used to the swirling, crippling pull of apparition. We land just outside my front garden and I have to take a deep breath to stop myself from throwing up.

"Why didn't you apparate us inside?" I ask my mum, pulling my hand from her grasp and looking up at her.

"We can't. No one can. Your father has put new protection spells up around the house" she mutters.

We walk easily to the front door.

"What is it protecting us from?"

She looks over at me, her eyes now soft and tired.

"Just come inside. Only us three can enter through the wards"

The door flicks open and she looks over her shoulder before walking in. As soon as I enter the house behind her, she flicks her ebony wand and the door slams behind me and I hear a loud click as the door locks.

I watch as my mother storms through the house and to the open-planned kitchen at the back.

"Mum!" I cry out, rushing after her, leaving the guitar to lean against the staircase.

"Mum!" I say louder this time.

My father peaks out from his study doors to my right. His glasses perched on his scruffy grey curls, his eyes wide and curious.

"What's going on?" he asks, looking at me concerned.

"Mum wouldn't let me go down to the beach" I complain.

He pulls himself out of the doorway and looks towards the kitchen.

"Alison, we have to tell her" my father calls out as he walks into the kitchen. We find her staring at her mug, fresh coffee steaming from the ceramic.

"Tell me what" I demand. My blood was starting to boil and I felt my skin itch with impatience.

My father looks over at me, his eyes glaring into mine, silently warning me about my tone.

My mother just shakes her head, her eyes still staring into the cup of coffee in her hands. My father walks towards her and puts a hand on her cheek to make her look up.

"Alison, she needs to be able to look after herself" he mutters. Her eyes grow soft as she looks at my father.

He pulls away from her and motions for me to sit down at the kitchen table.

I gingerly sit down and find myself fiddling with the ring on my neck, tracing the curves of the thorns imbedded in the silver.

"Aster, I'm so sorry we didn't tell you sooner" he starts, his kind green eyes wrinkling with worry.

"What is going on?" I ask him, my heart started to pound underneath my thick woollen jumper. Worry creeping up and into my blood.

"The dark lord... he's been recruiting Death Eaters for a while now" he pauses as if to gauge my knowledge. I shake my head unknowingly but not surprised.

"He's been trying to recruit me for months now. I said no, but then he got someone to harm you at school..."

"What?!" I exclaim, my heart jumping in my chest erratically, "But that was Pansy Parkinson?"

"He's been recruiting students, and Miss Parkinson wasn't supposed to be the one to harm you"

"Harper..." I finish for him.

"Yes, Harper was recruited. She was the only one close enough to you that could possibly sway you and me to join their cause"

I furrow my eyebrows confused.

"Harper never told me"

My dad copies my expression.

"Maybe she didn't want to involve you?" my dad ponders, looking up to my mother. My mother stares at him with no feeling or thoughts behind her eyes, she looks tired and almost empty.

"How do you know all of this?" I ask him, my mouth suddenly dry and coarse.

"He tried to hurt you sweetheart. I had to say yes to him" he says quietly.

"Wait how did you find out I was hurt? I never told you guys" I question, looking back and forth between my parents.

"Blaise owled us" My mother speaks up, her voice so small and timid.

I find no words. No words to help comprehend this avalanche of information. My chest now feels empty, my heart still.

"I had to join them" he adds, his eyes staring into mine for a reaction.

I stare into those familiar green eyes, the exact same shade as my own. He has new wrinkles under his eyes, his freckles had disappeared, his skin was now slightly ashen, as if he hadn't seen sun in months.

"You're a Death Eater?" I stumble.

A clinging smash echoes throughout the room. My mother stands still, her hands awkwardly positioned in front of her when once a mug was siting. The ceramic scattered around her feet, the coffee spilt down the front of her jeans.

"Ali" my father cries, shooting up from the chair across me and rushing to her side. He pulls her towards the kitchen table and makes her sit down, while he mutters a drying spell to clean her up.

"Dad!" I cry out, desperate for him to answer.

He looks up immediately.

"No, not yet" he whispers.

The room starts to slowly spin, my heart suddenly picking up pace as the conversation starts to sink into my brain.

"Harper's a Death Eater?" I ask, unsure about whether I want to know the answer.

He doesn't have to answer, I already know from the look he gives me.

"She's a Death Eater" I say in confirmation, "Fuck" I mutter.

"Aster!" My dad scolds me.

"Oh c'mon Dad, you just told me my best friend is a Death Eater and that you're on your way to being one as well!" I say exasperated. "That's what's happening at school. He's recruited Montague and Crabbe too" my thoughts rattle through my head as I start to understand. Suddenly my mouth goes dangerously dry.

"What about Malfoy?"

My dad narrows his eyes in confusion.

"Draco Malfoy? Lucius' boy?"

I nod.

"I think he's just been initiated" he mumbles.

That's why he went home. To become a Death Eater.

Fuck.

The room still spins and I have to clench my hands to my head in a desperate need to stop the nausea curling in my stomach.

"But Harper is a half-blood? and you married a muggle born? Crabbe said something about him only letting pure bloods join" I ask.

My father kisses my mother on the cheek before flicking his wand and watching the broken ceramic puzzled back together into a mug.

"I don't know why Harper was allowed. He only wants me because he wants his hands on a theory of mine" he says, tapping his wand against his pant leg as he thinks.

"A theory?"

"I'd rather not involve you Aster. I'm only telling you so you can look after yourself. You will have to go back to Hogwarts, but you can't let anyone know you know" he explains, his tone turning grave, his eyes darkening.

My skin grows hotter in frustration. I had been coddled for my whole life, I wasn't going to just sit by and watch this happen.

"No" I simply state.

My mother seems to snap out of her empty trace at my tone.

"I'm not letting you push me away from this. I want to be involved. I want to help you dad. I can't just let you risk your life"

"I'm risking my life to save you and your mother!" he cries out, his voice breaking slightly.

"Dad, just let me help!"

"No!" he screams. His voice echoes around the kitchen.

His eyes glare into mine and I can't help but sink into my chair. I had never heard my father yell that loudly before.

"When do you have to become a Death Eater?" i ask quietly.

"I don't know. He hasn't sent for me yet."

"Why are you letting me go back to Hogwarts if its so unsafe?"

"I made a deal. I was only going to share my research with him if he left you alone" he mumbles, taking his glasses off his head and rubbing them clean with his t-shirt.

I watch as he fiddles with the frames.

"I need to think" I tell them.

I leave them alone in the kitchen, my father fussing over my mother as she stares into oblivion.

I see the lone guitar leaning against the white staircase and it spurs a decision.

I was going to become a Death Eater.


	44. The Dark Mark

**Aster's POV**

First things first, I needed to teach myself how to apparate. If my father wasn't going to let me join him, I had to find my own way into the Death Eater meetings.

The thought terrified me. Becoming a Death Eater. I was completely against their agenda, their livelihood, but, I couldn't let me father do this alone, I couldn't let Draco do this alone. No matter how fucking terrified I was, how dangerous this whole concept even was, I couldn't be ignorant any longer. Who was I if I just watched it all happen? I was a coward if I did that. My father may have sacrificed himself for me but I didn't ask for that. I didn't ask for him to dive straight into the one thing he had been running from his entire life. The wickedness of the Flint name.

That was why my Uncle wanted to see me. It was all making sense now.

I had been so blind for so long.

I was seventeen, old enough to apparate legally, I just hadn't taken the test yet. I had one lesson at the start of the year which involved disappearing from one section of the hall and appearing in a marked hoop at the other. It was incredibly difficult and I had only managed to do it once. I knew I needed a license but I didn't have time to obtain one.

So here I was, standing on one side of my bedroom, willing my body to disappear and reappear in my bathroom next door.

My body was tense, my fists clenched at my sides, my wand in my pocket.

Fuck, why was this so hard?

It had taken me a while to calm down after the conversation in the kitchen. I hadn't left my room since, and every now and then my brain caught up with my emotions and I felt my body shake and my heart pound.

I need to find out why the Dark Lord wanted my father so badly. This 'theory' of his was making my mind run a million miles per hour. I knew my father was smart, he was renowned for his magical theories and I knew it could be dangerous. One of the first things my father taught me was the first fundamental law of magic.

_Tamper with the deepest mysteries - the source of life, the essence of self- only if prepared for consequences of the most extreme and dangerous kind._

As far as I knew, he didn't study dark magic theories. But over the years, I hadn't been interested in what my father worked on, I had been distracted. I had no idea what he was currently working on. When I was younger, it was mostly theories on protection spells and enchantments - how they worked, their permanency, the layers they needed to be achieved perfectly. I wasn't surprised he had put new protection spells over the house, it wouldn't surprise me if thevery reason I couldn't apparate right now was because of them. But I couldn't see a reason why the Dark Lord needed my father for a protection spell? I'm sure he was well versed in enchantments himself.

I sighed in defeat. It looked like I wasn't going to be able to apparate inside the house. I needed to practice outside.

Getting around my father was easy. He would be too busy inside his study to realise I was out of the house. But my mother was the problem, her incessant need to keep me under house arrest and the fact she was so stressed and upset about what was going on was going to make it hard.

I looked over to my school trunk sitting open wide on my bed. My potions book laid carelessly on top of a pile of clothes.

An idea clicked in my head.

Possibly immoral but I needed to help my father.

I ran to my bathroom, pushing phials and bottles to the side to find the bottle I needed. A sleeping draught. Something I kept for when I couldn't sleep.

Finding the small bottle, I held it up in the light and peered at the dark purple concoction.

Lets just hope my mother doesn't recognize the light taste of lavender when I pour some into her wine tonight.

I shoved the small bottle into my top drawer next to my bed. My next thing to do was to figure out what my father was studying behind those closed doors. Being my father, the room was probably covered in protection enchantments but being his daughter I was quite proficient at shield penetration spells. My strength was charms, my enchantments always seemed to last longer than others in class and I was always the first to master a spell.

I would have to sneak into his study while he was sleeping, the only time he left the locked room.

It would be too suspicious if I slipped my father a sleeping draught as well so I would have to wait him out.

So while I waited, I wrote to Blaise. I needed to let someone know what I was planning in case something went wrong. He was possibly the only one I could trust.

Lets just hope he's not already involved.

**Draco's POV**

It itched.

It felt like little fire ants were crawling under my skin.

The mark seemed so black and alive, like it was slightly pulsating. I looked at the skull and the thick snake coiling around and out of its mouth. I curled my lip at it in disgust.

"You've made me proud son" my father's voice woke me from my shock.

That word. _Proud._

It made me sick just thinking that I made him proud. How could he be proud of this?

I looked over at my mother, her pale eyes wide as she stared down at the new mark on my left forearm. She looked just as bad as I felt.

"Now he knows we're loyal" he states.

I watch as he rises from his seat at the table and walks towards me. The dinning room just moments ago held some of the darkest wizards and witches in my lifetime. The room was already dark and dreary before they came, but as soon as _he_ entered, it seemed like the room filled with a different sort of darkness. Like the room was stolen from any type of light, just the glare cast from the large fireplace on one wall.

I had successfully rid my mind of all thoughts and emotions, making myself blank and calm before the dark Lord entered the Manor. The painful Occlumency lessons from my Aunt has been proven useful.

I looked up at the Dark Lord with nothing in my thoughts. His blood red eyes did nothing as I compartmentalized every thought and emotion that begged to be felt.

Occlumency would have been useful around Aster.

"Now you're mother and I need to go meet with the others to finalise the arrangements for next weeks Yule Ball" he continues, gesturing to my mother to follow him. She tore her eyes off my arm and gave my father a shallow nod.

"Do I have to attend?" I asked unimpressed.

"Of course, the Dark Lord may not be there but there will be people I need you to meet in order for you to be successful in your task"

I gulped, my mouth suddenly dry and coarse.

I didn't want to think about my task.

I had a feeling I was going to be using Occlumency more often than I previously thought.

The plan was to use it around the Dark Lord. The apparent master of Occlumency. Aunt Bellatrix, however had taught me well and was extremely surprised with my natural talent. It was easy to empty your thoughts when the last thing you wanted to do was actually feel and think.

The Malfoy Annual Yule Ball was something that I despised every year.

"Maybe you should ask Miss Parkinson to accompany you again this year?" My mum asked before she followed my father out of the dinning room.

I flinched as I remembered last year.

Pansy clinging to my arm, dressed in a gaudy pink dress. The smell of pungent roses instantly came to me, making my slightly gag.

That night, Pansy begged me to kiss her. We had only just started hooking up, I had kissed her once when we were fifteen, before realising the idea repulsed me. She wasn't bad at kissing, it was just the look she gave me after. Pure idolisation. I hated that.

Our previous hook ups had started just a month before, mostly just sex. I had refused to kiss her the whole time, always working around it by distracting her with my hands instead.

But that night, she was desperate and drunk. Her hands were wandering and she begged me to take her up to my room. The whole notion of her being in my bed made me nauseous. I refused and she had the nerve to go up to my father and tell me I was a poor excuse of a pureblood. A coward.

The only reason I kept hooking up with her was to keep her quiet. It dwindled to the occasional hook up in the new year and then I saw Aster watching me.

It was a lousy day. A dark and dreary Monday in our fifth year. She had never seemed interested in me before, and I knew that because year after year I watched her flirt with others. I knew that look. Her eyes wide and dreamy, her teeth biting softly on her bottom lip.

The fact I had caught her finally looking at me like that made my heart fucking leap. Something I never thought I would feel. I thought I was completely incapable of that feeling.

The next day, I avoided Pansy like the plague. Our hook ups became more sparse, my interactions with her outside of them non-existent.

"No" I simply said to my mother.

She furrowed her eyebrows at me but didn't push, instead she followed my father out of the room and left me alone.

As if sensing my emotions coming flooding back, the dark mark on my forearm pulsed achingly.


	45. The Tales of Beedle the Bard

**Asters POV**

My mother was out like a light, sleeping deeply in her bed upstairs. I listened as my fathers heavy footsteps echoed up the stairway and down the corridor. Waiting for the heavy shut of his bedroom door, I finally slipped out of my room and tip toed downstairs.

Standing outside my fathers study I concentrated on my wand balancing in my hand and muttered the shield penetration spell. I could see the protection wards waver and after a few tense seconds the air rippled. It worked.

I gingerly placed my hand on the door knob and twisted. The door opened easily and I couldn't help but smile to myself.

Muttering "Lumos" the downlights and a desk lamp flickered on instantly. The large room was a mess. So unlike my father.

I frowned as I stared at the numerous books stacked untidily on his large chestnut desk, his bookshelf completely disorganised. Ink splattered odd pieces of parchment, and I leaned down to read the odd smudges and slanted writing.

_Magical Permanency: Characteristics_

_Irreversibility_

_ Consequences? the between-space _

_inhumane?_

_Balance of nature - what must we sacrifice?_

It wasn't a list per say but seemed like my fathers rambled thoughts. It wasn't odd to see this sort of brainstorming from my father, I know he had been toying with the theory of permanent magic, specifically to do with wards and protection spells. What really caught my eye was the words 'the between-space'.

I shuffled though the papers but came across nothing of importance, more protection spells, the textbook 'Magical Theory' by Adalbert Waffling - a required first year text at Hogwarts, something my father referred to quite often. I would have thought he would have had it memorised by now.

Blank pieces of parchment also littered his desk. I picked up a nearby pile of books and found another text, this time referencing the so-called 'between-space' or 'limbo' as it also mentioned. It mentioned the first law of fundamental magic, commenting on the different consequences for different violations but it was nothing I didn't already know.

And then, I saw the book 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' casually sitting on an armchair nestled in one corner of the room. He must have retrieved it from my room. On the inside of the book, my name was written messily, courtesy of 7-year old Aster.

Curiosity brought me towards it. Why would he be reading this? Knowing my father wasn't one for fictional worlds, I picked up the small book and wasn't at all surprised when I found my beloved copy riddled with annotations.

The story with the most annotations seemed to be 'The Warlock's Hairy Heart', a quite gothic fairy tale. The tale talks about a young warlock removing his heart from his body using dark magic to prevent himself from falling in love. The heart decays after being away from his body for so long that by the time a young maiden asks him to put his heart back inside his chest, the heart is consumed by dark magic. This ultimately drives the Warlock to take by force a human heart. He attempts to take the maidens heart for his own, only for the heart to stop him from using magic. Before he can replace his own heart with the maidens, he dies across the maidens dead body with one heart in each hand.

The story was always skipped when my mother read out loud to me, only for me to read it to myself just before I attended Hogwarts. It was horrific and quite terrifying. Not much of fairy tale if you asked me.

My father's writing messily covered the last paragraph, his words reading 'in seeking to become super-human, this man renders himself inhumane'.

Was this about the Death Eaters? Is this what the Dark Lord wants to know more about? Being super-human?

Before I could riffle through more of my fathers notes, I hear a click from upstairs. I place the book exactly where he left it, muttered "Nox" and slipped out of his study. Listening to soft footsteps upstairs, I froze waiting for the steps to carry downstairs. Instead, they echoed towards the bathroom. I exhaled with relief.

Before my father could catch me downstairs, I creeped to the back door. Unlocking the back door, I quickly rushed out and quietly closed the door behind me. The cold air nipped at my neck and blew my pony tail flat against my cheek. I pulled my knitted jumper over my hands and cursed myself for not wearing my coat.

I walked from the cool dark night and to the back gate. Lifting my wand to pull the latch up soundlessly, I was able to slip through the wards in silence.

"Aster" a voice hissed from the dark shadows.

If it wasn't for the familiar tone, I probably would have hexed the shit out of whoever just sneaked up on me.

Blaise stepped out of the shadows, his black coat wrapped tightly around him as he shivered.

"What are you doing here?!" I whispered harshly at him.

"I've been waiting for you for like an hour. I couldn't get through the protection spells.." he mumbles, nodding towards the back gate I had just slipped through.

"How did you get here?" I furrowed my eyes at him and looked around. The street was empty.

"I apparated" he confidently announces, giving me a beaming smile.

I chuckle at his proudness.

"I had no idea you could apparate" I mumbled, pulling him away from the house and deeper into the street.

"I've been practicing for a while now, I took the test before we left for the holidays" he admits.

I whip my head towards him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask saddened by his inability to talk to me.

"I didn't want to brag" he shrugged his shoulders.

"Please don't keep secrets from me, I can't handle any more" I say, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. He squeezes me hand back before he goes to let go but I grab it tighter.

We walk down the street hand in hand. I needed the closeness of another human to anchor me right now. I could slowly feel myself growing unstable from all the secrets and betrayals.

"Why are you here?" I ask.

"You told me you needed to learn how to apparate, I'm here to teach....and make sure you don't splinch yourself in the process" he adds, giving me a slight nudge as we walk.

We reach the end of my street and approach the steps towards the beach. It was completely empty but I pull Blaise towards the far end, away from the houses overlooking the sand. My secret nook in a carved rock jutted out on one side of the sand, rock pools scattered around it.

"Well Mr Expert, teach me your ways" I announce, spreading my arms out and gesturing to the empty spread of sand we were now currently standing in.

As I focused on the Three D's: Destination, Determination and Deliberation, Blaise drew circles in the sand with his feet.

"Can you please stop that? I can't concentrate" I grumbled.

All I got was a grunt in reply but he stopped.

I listened to the wind rustling around me and thought about the wet water I wanted my feet to appear in.

Suddenly I felt like I was being forced through a very tight rubber tube and _plop._ My feet was successful drowning in the shallows of the sea 6 feet away from where Blaise was standing.

"Hah!" I cried out happily.

Blaise looked up in surprise.

"Didn't think you would catch on that fast"

I stick my tongue out at him.

"Can you come back?" He tests me.

I think back to the coarse sand my feet had just left and the sight of the grey rock that would be behind me.

With another tight squeeze, I dissipated from the sea and landed comfortable on the sand.

I bow at my waist, smiling smugly at Blaise glaring from a few feet away.

"Sometimes you are too talented for your own good" he mumbles.

I grin, proud at my achievements.

After successfully testing various distances across the large expanse of beach, I slouch down on the rock I had started in front of.

"Tell me what you found then" Blaise mutters, leaning back against the rock against me. He shoves the various sticks he had found while I practiced on the ground with his feet. With a quiet mutter, he points his wand at the sticks at our feet and lights them to create a small fire.

The orange flames light up the beach, letting me finally see Blaise's face clearer. He looked tired but otherwise ok.

I start to explain the information I found in my father's study, including my childhood book. He listens intently, something I had always admired in Blaise. Once I finish, he looks back at the small fire at his feat.

"Are you really willing to join them?" he asks hesitantly.

"I have to"

"You don't have to Aster, you can stay out of it. Your father only said yes to keep you safe and you're just going to go against that?"

The fire seems to ripple intensely at his true words.

"It's not just my dad, its my mum....its Harper" I confess.

He looks up at me, his eyes wide.

"Why? She betrayed us?"

"What if she pushed us away on purpose? to keep us safe?"

He looks back down at the fire, contemplating my words.

"I don't think she did" he mutters, sadness dripping with each syllable.

"Why?"

"I think she did this to find somewhere she belongs" he says quietly.

I furrow my eyebrows, confused.

"She always had a problem with being the outcast, you know that. She hated being a halfblood. I've never cared, you two had been more than I've ever wanted. You couldn't have cared less about being a halfblood, you made it into your own. But Harper, she always struggled"

His words sink into my skin and pierce my heart with little stabs.

"You think she actually choose to join them? to become a death eater?"

"I don't think she's actually a death eater, I think she supports the cause but only to be accepted. To feel that sense of belonging" he explains.

"How can she not be a death eater but support the cause?" I ask now thoroughly confused.

"You don't remember what she said to us the night at The Shambles?"

The only thing I remember clearly about that night was Draco and I.

Shamelessly I shake my head.

"She said that not all Death Eaters have marks...which technically wouldn't make them Death Eaters but just followers...supporters"

I look up at Blaise and watch as his eyes find mine.

"You are really fucking wise" I say.

He chuckles half-heartedly, but his eyes stay dim.

"I'm not supporting your plan here Aster, I mean he could easily come after my family and I next but I want to help your dad. Your family is my family." he says, pulling my hand into his again.

"It's not just my dad though Blaise" I say, looking at our entwined hands in the firelight.

"What do you mean?"

"Draco. He's been initiated....I know he wouldn't really want this. I need to help him too" I finally admit.

I stay staring at our hands, hoping he doesn't pull away.

"Is he worth risking everything for?" his voice cuts through the cold air sharply.

I finally look up into his dark eyes, wishing it was the cool silver ones I so desperately wanted to see.

"Yes" I whisper.

I couldn't see his reaction in the darkness.

"You need to meet with your Uncle..he can get you into the meeting"

"That's the plan. I need to apparate to his house soon, I have no idea when they plan to get my father. But I've never apparated that far..." I reply, nervously pushing the sand around with my feet.

"Floo to my house first. Tell your mum you want to see me before Christmas and then you can apparate to his."

I look up at Blaise and find him staring at me waiting for an answer.

"Mum won't let me leave. I had to bloody drug her to get out the house"

"You what?!" Blaise voices echoes across the empty beach.

"Don't worry it was just a sleeping draught. She probably needed it after today anyway" I mumble, trying to stop the nauseous shame from rising in my throat.

He shakes his head but he chuckles.

"You're more ambitious that I realised...a true Slytherin" he mutters.

"Well the sorting hats always right"

"Leave your mum with me, I can sway her."

I raise my eyebrows up at him and he gives me a shrug in response.

"Your mum likes me" he comments, leaving me to smile as he grins cheekily.


	46. The Malfoy Yule Ball

**Draco's POV**

"Draco sweetheart, please stop fidgeting"

I shot my mother a glare. She was lucky I was even wearing these awful dress robes. I was able to convince her to let me wear something a little bit more modern, the robes she picked out for me where drab and oddly muggle-like. 

She had been rushing around the Manor all day, flustering in her flouncy olive green dress. Since 8am this morning, I had shut off all emotions and thoughts. I dreaded the Yule Ball, and this year it was just going to be ten times worse.

"Ok, now stand there while we greet people. Make sure you shake their hands and don't cower" My father hissed at me, brushing down his own dark dress robes and coming to stand next to me.

I kept my eyes on the vast iron double doors, they were flung open and letting a blistering cold breeze in.

"When the Carrows get here, we need to move to my study. We need to talk about your task"

I nodded robotically.

Guests started to arrive, various pureblood families, a few half-bloods that were only invited because of their positions in the ministry. Pansy arrived with her parents, this time not donning a bright pink gown but a more elegant satin dress. She looked older, her dark hair was cut shorter and it made her look ever the more intimidating. Her mother gave me two wet kisses on my cheeks and clucked about how handsome I looked. It took everything in me not to glare at Pansy when she agreed. Instead, I simply looked through as if she was transparent. I had no time for this game.

Montague, Crabbe and Goyle all arrived shortly after, clapping me on the back and begging me to join them once I had finished with the formalities. It was tradition for us boys to head towards the back of the ballroom and hide amongst the mammoth stone pillars and drink ourselves into oblivion. The only thing I looked forward to.

Then the Carrows strolled in.

Brother and sister, and both as fucking crazy as the other.

They were both stocky, stubby and oily looking. The glares that they had plastered on their faces made my thoughts slip and a huge rush of disgust and anxiety raced through my head.

I quickly focused and shut off my mind using occlumency. I wasn't sure if these too maniacs were proficient in the art but I wasn't taking any chances.

\---

The meeting was short. My father treated me like an imbecile the whole time, consistently acting like I was completely inept at the task the Dark Lord had assigned me.

The siblings were just as dumb as I thought, but their ambition was unmatched. I had to remember to not get on their bad side.

"Mate! Malfoy!"

Montague called me over as I reached the ballroom, they were all hanging behind the large pillars at one corner, goblets in their hands, no doubt spiked.

I was not in the mood for this.

"Hey did you see Pansy?" Montague preened, straightening his plain dress robes as he watched Parkinson twirl round as she danced.

I shrugged uninterestedly. Instead, I watched the rest of the guests, scanning their faces and watching them mingle. 

"Dude she looks fucking amazing, definitely will have to make a move later" he slurs.

I roll my eyes but go to pick up a goblet from a nearby table. Grabbing a bottle of fire whiskey, I unashamedly tipped a good amount into the goblet and went back to join the boys.

I leaned against the back wall, keeping my eyes on the entire hall, watching as guests came in and out as they pleased. Goyle chatted next to me, telling me about how his parents told him about the Dark Lord. I tried to listen, but my mind was still exhausted from keeping up with the occlumency. There was too many people in this hall that could easily enter anyone's minds at any notice.

Before I could formulate any input to Goyle's conversation, someone new walked through the ballroom doors.

My eyes instantly found hers.

I could recognize those green eyes anywhere.

What the fuck was she doing here?

She was wearing a black daring number, the gown reached her ankles but had one slit that reached high above her thigh. The neckline was cut generously, displaying her chest in an elegant but sensual way. My necklace was tied around her neck, the ring settling just below her collarbones. Her dark hair was styled as if she had just emerged from a 1920's movie. She looked fucking ravishing, and if I wasn't completely riddled with fury I would have probably melted right then and there.

Immediately, I shoved my goblet into Goyle's hands and was storming across the room, pushing people away.

Once I got closer, I noticed she had come with Marcus' family. I did a double take instantly. Her Uncle had just started schmoozing with Crabbe's father, Marcus gave me a flick of his eyebrows but I ignored his greasy stare.

I was only a few meters away from her when her eyes finally met mine. She didn't show any surprise, instead she had the audacity to smirk. She fucking smirked at me.

My blood boiled and I clenched my fists.

I ignored Marcus and his family, and immediately grabbed her arm. I pulled her back out of the great hall and into the servants corridor, hidden by a large portrait of my Great Grandpa. His portrait eyes glared at me as I shoved the secret door open.

She squealed as I yanked her in.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I shouted.

She didn't flinch, but instead looked around the small space before settling her eyes back on me. She searched my face before giving me a warm but teasing smile.

"Hi Handsome" she cooed, knowing it would annoy me. Her green eyes sparkled and my heart flipped at the sight.

I Ignored her flattery. "What are you doing?!"

"Nothing" She said with a cunning smile.

"You're not supposed to be here" I hissed at her.

We were only inches apart, crowded in the small corridor that was damp from the winter air. If she wasn't so close to me I would have probably been shivering, but I hadn't seen her in four weeks. Being this close after so long was having an obvious effect on my body.

She looked down the corridor, inspecting the area thoroughly before turning her eyes to face mine. Now her face was serious, almost concerning.

"My father, he's joining" she said.

The vague comment made my head spin. My occlumency slipped and I was starting to feel all sorts of emotions. The side effect with this damn skill was that at any point I could slip and all emotions would come rushing back in a tangled heap. It was exhausting.

She suddenly pulled my arm towards her, causing my body to crash against hers. The overwhelming scent of sandalwood made my heart race.

I looked down at her hand on my arm, the nerves beneath my skin were hot and frayed. I felt her breath on my neck and it made me look at her. Her eyes were wide and had now gone a slight pale green. She stared into my eyes and I felt hypnotized, they were instantaneously cunning and innocent.

Before I could stop her, her hands were shuffling up my sleeve and she had pulled back my robes and shirt to display the black tattoo that was branded on my forearm. The sight of the tortured mark made me shiver and almost throw up.

Quickly, I pulled my sleeves down and jerked away from her.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I yelled indignantly.

Her lips were pulled into a straight line but there was no surprise or disappointment showing on her pretty face. A huge part of me was completely relieved at her reaction but the fury outweighed that emotion rapidly.

"My father will be getting one of those soon," she said. There was no emotion in her tone.

I flinched as the words finally settled into my brain.

"Your father?"

"He's here somewhere I expect" she murmurs almost dream-like, her eyes now looking down at my arm.

I pulled my arm behind my back and the sudden movement made her eyes flick back towards my face.

"You expect?" I question, thoroughly confused.

"I didn't come with him, I convinced my Uncle to bring me." She muttered.

I furrowed my eyebrows at her. This girl was an enigma.

"Aster, this is the last time I'm going to ask you this. What the fuck are you doing here?"

This time she looked at me with purpose, as if her thoughts had shuffled themselves and were finally ready to be comprehended.

"I'm here to make sure he doesn't get hurt. My Uncle is right, he's not as strong as he thinks. He won't be able to survive on his own. He needs me" she explains. She starts to pace the short corridor, her heels tapping loudly on the tiled floor.

"What could you possibly do to help him?" I ask incredulously. My blood was starting to freshly boil underneath my skin again, I could even feel the dark magic beneath the dark mark slither underneath the magical ink.

"I don't know!" she shouted impatiently, her face broke. All her pent up emotions were now displayed evidently in her eyes, her lips, her jaw. "I don't know what I'm doing. I couldn't just let you all prance around while my father was doing merlin knows what for _him_ " she said the last word as if it tasted vile on her tongue.

"I told my Uncle that I wanted his protection, but that I also wanted to be involved. He said that he could help us, help my mother stay protected from _him_. As long, as I helped Marcus with something." She couldn't look at me now.

"Help him with what?" I ask between gritted teeth.

"Its fucking stupid" she mumbled, scoffing under breath. "I need to help him make friends," she laughed.

"He needs to gain influence" she added, motioning her fingers into air quotes.

I stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Your Uncle is risking your life, getting you involved in this bullshit because he's precious son doesn't have enough influence?" I was fucking furious. The fucking audacity of these brainless gits.

She laughs at me, but there's a sort of menace beneath the chuckles.

"I chose to risk my life, not him. I just accepted the conditions, because lets be honest they're fucking ridiculous, and probably the best I'm going to get. On the plus side, I get to know what's going on. I get to keep an eye on my father while not being in the middle of...things" she explained.

"Why does Marcus need influence?" I ask.

She stops pacing and stands idly in front of me.

"I think my Uncle wants Marcus to become a Death Eater, its an 'honour' after all," I flinched at that word. It wasn't a fucking honour to me.

"Although I don't know why he thinks I have any influence to get Marcus more influence...if that makes sense" she continued.

I could tell her brain was working at about 1000 miles per kilometer. Her eyes kept looking around the room and her fingers were tapping against her arm.

"Marcus was always envious about how you so easily made friends with everyone at school" I mumbled awkwardly.

She flicked her eyes at me then, surprise now evident in her dark pupils.

"But I never made friends with you pureblood Syltherin's? You guys always made an effort to make my life hell. And surely that's the kind of influence he wants?" she questioned.

"Aster, we only teased you because you were a half-blood and we've been told our whole lives that that's something that's despicable and underneath us. But I know each and every person in Slytherin has admired you. You're so fucking intelligent and charming, you could have your own little bunch of followers if you asked"

The words just came tumbling out of my mouth, I couldn't stop them if I tried.

Her eyes were as round as saucers, she looked shocked and utterly confused. As if she never realised this before.

"No. Montague would skin me alive if he had the opportunity"

"Well yes, but that's because he would rather them look at him they way they look at you." I answered.

She frowned at me then.

"Have _you_ always felt that way about me?" I could tell she was nervous, her cheeks were now bright pink.

"The way I feel about you is completely different," I admitted.

Before she could ask me what I meant, a small house elf popped up from the end of the corridor. He squealed as he saw us standing in his way and instantly dropped what he was carrying.

"I'm so sorry master, I did not know you were here with company. So sorry, let me leave"

Before I could order him to stay, the elf flicked his fingers and disappeared, along with the mess of cake that had been dumped on the cold floor.

The crack from the elf disapparating, caused Aster to snap out of her confusion and pull open the door to go back into the ball. Before she could leave, I grabbed her wrist lightly and pulled her flush towards me.

"I'm not done with you" I murmured against her lips.

She gasped at my proximity and the small sound made my lips curl in satisfaction.

"I'm not letting you get involved Flint" I stated.

She looked up at me and instead of her usual submissive glance I usually got from her in this position, she gave me a cunning smirk.

"If you're involved, so am I" she replied curtly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out my Pinterest board if you're interested in seeing what the dresses Aster and Pansy wore to the Yule Ball :) @arianatwycross


	47. Naïve

**Aster's POV**

He was so close to me that for a quick second I couldn't breath. He looked incredible tonight, his white shirt underneath his dress robes was fitted so tightly I couldn't help but admire the way his muscles tensed underneath.

"You have to go home now" he hissed under his breath. His breathing was becoming heavier and his eyes were now a dark silver. The air in the small corridor suddenly shifted, and I watched as his eyes narrowed and he rolled his shoulders back angrily.

"I'm not just going home, I had to do a lot to get here" I mumbled back.

He cornered me against the closed door and slammed one hand above my head. He was towering over me now, his breath still heavy but now his eyes looked drunk.

"Flint, you can't do this. If you do this, I'm not helping you. I'll act like you don't exist. Is that what you want?"

The words cut deep and I could feel my heart pick up in rhythm and pace.

"If that's really what you want to do, then fine. I can't stand around and let this happen." I huffed, my patience with him was starting to thin.

He leaned closer to me and I felt the air snatch away from my lungs. He smelt so good, like peppermint and fire whiskey. Instantly, I was taken back to his bed at Hogwarts, I could already feel his large soft hands on my body.

"They won't want you. _He_ won't want you, you're a half blood" he coldly said against my lips.

I tried to press myself further into the door behind me. I tried to not look at his lips, instead I trained my eyes to his.

"Harper's a half-blood and I know she's helping you guys" I said with as much conviction I could muster. Saying her name had started to become difficult, it was like spitting out a curse word that you had been forbidden to ever say.

This time I saw his eyes flicker.

He pulled away and the cool air turned thinner around us.

"I didn't realise you knew" he muttered awkwardly.

"I don't want to talk about her. I'm just saying, she's a half blood so why can't I be involved too?"

He looked away from me then, his hand going instantly to his neck.

"What are you doing here though? Why tonight?" he asked me, a hint of wariness was peaking through his question.

"My Uncle wanted to introduce me to your father of all people"

His eyes shot up at that one.

"No," he stated.

"You don't want me to meet your father? What are you embarrassed of me? Is it my dress?" I teased awkwardly, patting down my dress against my thighs.

My joke didn't ease the tension, instead Draco's eyes were lit with fury, his jaw clenched and his fists balled at his sides.

"You are not doing this Aster" he demanded.

"I don't have to listen to you" I said back, I raised my voice this time and my words echoed down the corridor and into the darkness.

I was done with this conversation, I was getting nowhere with him. I thought he would help me, but obviously I was wrong.

I twisted round and pushed the door open. He didn't follow, so instead I walked back into the Ballroom and searched for someone familiar. The entire room seemed dull, the only light coming from the high eclectic chandeliers hanging from the tall ceilings. Pure Blood families milled around the tables of champagne and desserts. I spotted Pansy waltzing with Montague in the middle of the black and white tiled floor. No one paid any attention to me as I hovered to one side, covered by the tall desserts piled on one table.

"Where were you?" a gruff voice demanded from behind me.

I spun round and found Marcus grimly staring at me.

"Making friends" I answered, giving him a smirk.

He only glared at me. This guy had no sense of humour.

"I don't need you to help me. My father was wrong about you." he grumbled, shuffling his wide feet and staring behind me.

"Yeah that's convincing" I mumble.

"I don't see how a half-blood could help me with my influence, its bloody idiotic" he added. I watched him as he reached to a nearby table and grabbed a flute of champagne. He raised it to his wide lips and downed it in one gulp.

Marcus Flint looked nothing like me, thank god. He was lucky that in his fifth year, his father finally allowed him to transfigure his teeth so that they weren't oddly sticking out all over the place. The only way you could possibly tell we were related were from our dark hair, he didn't even inherit the Flint green eyes. Instead they were a dull hazel, courtesy of his uptight mother.

"Maybe if you were as charming and beautiful as me, you wouldn't need my help" I teased, grabbing a champagne flute as well and sipping on it gracefully.

He rolled his eyes at me and instead stared into the middle of the room.

"Don't ask me to make those guys like you" I said, nodding my head towards Crabbe, Montague and Pansy, now huddling behind a large pillar in the opposite corner of the room.

"I don't need help with those fools, they already listen to me" he mutters.

I groaned. This was going to be a long night.

"This is stupid. Maybe I should just look for my dad" I mumbled, searching around the room for the familiar grey curls.

"I saw him wander off with Lucius Malfoy to the other side of the Manor" Marcus said.

I looked at him.

"What?" he poked, his eyes glaring at my stare.

"You were actually helpful for once" I jabbed, before setting down my flute and walking out of the ballroom.

I wandered down the large hallways, the further I went the quieter and colder it got. I pulled my wand out of my holster on the leg that was covered by my dress and muttered a warming charm.

Keeping my wand out, I carefully walked up the large marble staircase to the second floor. It was deadly quiet upstairs and the eeriness of it made my bones chill.

Finally I heard some muffled conversation. I pushed my back against one side of the hallway and nudged myself along until I reached a large statue I could hide behind. Around the corner I could hear male voices. Three voices.

"No you can't penetrate the protection spells around Hogwarts, it's impossible"

My father.

My heart dropped at his warm voice.

"What if we used something that was already at Hogwarts to get us in?" an unfamiliar voice echoes back. Their voices were hushed but I could clearly hear them from this corner of the hallway. They should have used a silencing spell if they were having a private conversation. _Ugh Men._

"What something? Why do you need to get into Hogwarts?" My father asked impatiently.

"No more questions. You're here to answer my questions only." the voice demanded.

It took everything in me to keep my body still and not jump out and hex whoever had just talked to my father like that.

A ruffling sound interrupted and it took a few seconds for me to understand that it was parchment.

"This" another voice spoke up.

This voice made my heart drop to the bottom of my stomach. Bile curled up my throat and I had to brace myself on the marble stone statue in front of me.

Draco.

What was he doing with my father?

"I've never seen one up close before, but if there's two and with the right collection of charms and spells you could possibly forgo the protection wards around the castle and get in. But I'm not sure if it takes humans.." my father answered, his voice was lacking confidence.

I gripped harder onto the marble in front of me. I felt dizzy and confused.

"I can test it," Draco says back.

"Son, maybe we need to get someone to help you with this"

This must be Draco's father, Lucius.

His voice was deeper than Draco's, but they had similar accents. Posh, regal accents that always sounded like they were mocking others.

"I don't need help." Draco grunted back.

I could have announced myself then and there, but I was pretty sure my father would have had a heart attack at the sight of me. The whole Death Eater plan was starting to crumble at my feet and my doubts had started to swim around deeply in my head ever since I saw Blaise.

We stayed up all night configuring a plan, and it consistently came down to the fact that becoming a Death Eater was not going to solve anything. If anything, it would put everyone I love in danger.

In that moment I felt completely and utterly idiotic. I was acting impulsive and irrational. Blaise was the only one I could trust to level me out, to control my impulses and funnel my ambition into a more substantial plan.

"I need you to send my son some information on how to get around these complex protection spells and how to fix this" Lucius ordered my father.

"Yes sir" my father squeaked back.

I shuddered at the compliancy of my father, how easy it was for him to submit.

"You can go home now," Lucius muttered.

I listen to my father's familiar heavy footsteps echo down the hallway around the corner. It must lead to the back of the house, I hope he was going straight home. He thought I was currently at Blaise's.

"I want you back out there, but don't tell anyone about this ok?" Lucius' deep voice had risen an octave.

"Yes father," Draco said tiredly.

This time I heard a swoosh of dress robes and strained my ears to see if I could differentiate the steps that were now rushing in the same direction that my father went in.

I couldn't see from where I was standing so I shuffled behind the statue more and tried to peer around the other side.

"You wanna tell me what you're doing here Flint?" Draco's voice demanded behind me.

I froze before turning slowly, unsure on how this conversation was going to go.

"Hey lover" I said, trying to display a cheeky smirk.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" He questioned me. He was still as mad as before, his eyes were tired now though.

"What were you doing with my dad?" I asked, this time I let my guard down. I truly wanted to know now.

He looked at me softly as if contemplating whether he could open up to me or not.

"Your father's a lot smarter than you" is all he said.

"Well thanks" I scoffed.

I watched as he ran a hand through his hair, his eyes searched my face and it made goosebumps appearing all over my bare arms.

"You are so stupid" he mumbled.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

We stood in silence for a few seconds, his eyes turned feral suddenly and I braced myself.

"You thought you could just come here and know everything about what's going on?" he growled. "Your father is fine, no one will hurt him. If anything, they will hurt me. I'm the one that needs to fucking deliver here" he was shouting now. I walked backwards blindly.

"I thought you were smart Flint, I thought you would be safe with your half-blood status. But no you had to push yourself into this mess didn't you?"

He was walking towards me now, staring down at me.

I couldn't keep my eyes off his.

"You're just like Bainbridge...afraid of not being included, of not belonging." Every word of his dripped venom.

"Fuck you" I muttered.

"Fuck me? You have, multiple times. But that doesn't give you any right to be involved in this"

I stared at him, my heart was pounding in my chest. I stopped walking backwards and stood firmly in front of him. He was towering over me now, his chest inches from mine.

"I have always been pushed away from the dark shit that happens in life. My family has always made excuses to keep me away from everything bad that happens. And you know what? I don't want to be a naïve little girl anymore" I said back, my face was burning as I spit the words back out at him.

"But you are, aren't you? You are a naïve little girl"

This time his tone wasn't threatening and loud.

He looked down at my lips and back up into my eyes. I gulped nervously, the air around us had shifted again.

He pushed his chest against me and I stumbled backwards and into a wall. I gasped at the contact and tried to push myself off. His chest stopped me from moving, he put both hands beside my head, caging me in and looked down at me again.

"Aren't you Flint? you're a naïve little girl?" he repeated, his voice now dripping with greed. A sharp change to the conversation we were just having.

I gulped again and looked down at his lips. My entire body had gone slack under his, but I could feel my centre pulsing for him. The need for him had completely overridden any sense.

I was no longer mad at him, I was mad for him.  
  
  



	48. Done For

**Draco's POV**

Our bodies were completely pressed together, I could feel her warm breath on my lips and I was weak enough to look at her mouth.

I was so fucking furious with her. For being here at the ball, for being meters away from the conversation I just had, for trying to get involved in this manic mess. I didn't really understand why I was so mad, I shouldn't care so much but I did.

Before I could process the fact that I was pressed up against Aster in the middle of an upstairs hallway while a ball was going on downstairs, I felt her lips brush against mine. She arched her back and squirmed slightly as I tensed the moment our lips touched.

My thigh was dangerously close to her center, I had subconsciously slotted myself into her body, my body was obviously desperate to be as close to her as possible. With the maddening emotions she was making me feel, I now had a strong mix of need on top of it. Fuck she made me feel too much.

She did it again, brushing her lips against mine as I pressed my knee closer to her center.

I lost control.

I crashed my lips onto hers and her mouth easily opened up for me, her tongue was the one that teased mine, and I slid my hand up to her jaw so I could grasp it, deepening the kiss urgently.

The heated adrenaline was now rushing through my veins and was blindingly suffocating, the tension around us had simply snapped, after four long weeks my body needed hers and obviously she was feeling the same.

It didn't help that she looked so fucking sexy in that black dress of hers. Her breasts heaved nicely against the scalloped top of her dress, the large slit in her dress also made my mind race with memories of her long legs spread wide in my bed.

Her fingers were now threaded in the back of my hair and she pulled tightly, making an involuntary moan escape my throat. It only spurred her on and she kissed me harder, claiming my mouth. My skin was burning hot and the intensity of the kiss was taking my breath away.

She pulled away to nip at my bottom lip, running her tongue over it before she decided to bite even harder. The distressed action made the skin break.

Fuck.

I lost my mind. I slid my hand under the slit in her dress and made my way to her ass, groping it desperately. I brought her hips closer to my thigh and pressed it just where I'd been dying to touch her. Her moan was soft as she kissed me again, grinding her hips on my thigh. I could taste the blood from my cut lip and the metallic taste made my attention slightly waver.

"We can't do this here" I admitted in between slow kisses.

She moaned as I made my way to her neck, leaving wet soft kisses in my path.

"Where's your room?" she whispered.

I stilled. Her hips stopped grinding on my thigh and I could feel her also tense underneath my body.

I looked up at her, pulling my body slightly away.

"I need to get back to the ballroom," I said wearily. Her eyes were wide and her pupils were so dark and blown. She had clearly enjoyed this moment.

She blinked heavily a few times before pulling her hips away from me. She looked down at her dress and smoothed it down. I could see her legs shake. She needed me right now and I so wanted to give it to her.

I pushed my hands off the wall and stepped backwards, enjoying the little show she was giving me as she pulled her dress right and fixed her bra straps that had fallen down.

"I should go back too" she murmured, still avoiding my gaze.

"You can't go back. Did anyone see you before?" I asked her sharply.

This time she looked up at me confused.

"The others...if they see you here...I can't let you do this. Forget about helping Marcus, I'll take care of that. Just don't do this Ast" I couldn't help but ramble and beg, she needed to stay out of it.

She opened her mouth wide but closed it quickly, as if her thoughts were too jumbled to make sense.

"Please...for me" I stepped closer to her this time, and carefully placed my hands on her cheeks. I cupped her jaw and made her look up at me.

"My dad.." she whispered.

I knew she was scared for her father, she was much more thoughtful than me. I couldn't care less about my father. Aster, on the other hand, she needed to help him, I wasn't sure whether she could physically step away from it all, even for me. I didn't have a choice but she did.

I didn't know how she truly felt about me or whether my words had any weight in her decisions, but I had to try. She wasn't fit for this role, for this side of the war. She was a Slytherin yes but did she have any darkness in her? No. All I could see was pure white light, she was the beacon that people went to when they needed to know there was good in the world.

"I already said, he's safe, the Dark Lord only wanted him to help me..." I stopped talking before I said more. The less she knew the better.

Her eyes went wide and she tilted her head in my hands before covering them with her own. She gripped my hands and pulled them off her cheeks.

"I didn't come all the way here to just give up," she said stubbornly.

My blood started to boil again, I pushed the fury down and tried to breath.

"Fuck Aster, you literally can't do anything to help. No matter what, we're going to war and I don't want you fighting. You can finish School and then go somewhere with your family. He won't need your father for much longer. You just need to get them to somewhere safe before your father becomes disposable to him".

She flinched at the word disposable and I could instantly see the blood vanish from her face.

"I can't just watch everyone fight and stand by" she whispered, her words were sharper now.

"I have an idea," I said abruptly. The words just spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them. My desperation to keep her safe was overwhelming, I had never felt this desperate in my life. It reminded me of my mother and how she felt about me becoming a Death Eater. It made me feel weak. I tried to push that thought aside.

She nodded, gesturing for me to continue.

"You can help me with my task, but only if you promise to stay away from everything else. To not tell anyone what we're doing. To stay away from your Uncle" I said. I studied her face carefully, her eyes narrowed as she took in my words.

"What's your task?" she asked.

"I can tell you later, not here, not now"

I was getting impatient, I needed to get back to the ballroom. My father was going to wonder where I went.

This time she searched my face for an answer. Her green eyes, curious but wary.

"I need you to tell me before I decide"

I sighed.

"Fine...I'm going to go back downstairs, but I want you to stay up here. You can wait in my bedroom...just don't go through my things.." I added, giving her a glare.

She rolled her eyes at me, but I noticed a gleam of humour flicker quickly.

"Seriously Flint..." I raised an eyebrow at her mischievousness, "Stay in my room and I'll promise after an hour or so I'll come meet you and tell you everything".

"What am I going to do for a whole hour by myself?" she complained.

This time I rolled my eyes at her.

"Entertain yourself, just don't touch my stuff"

**Aster's POV**

I followed Draco down the dark hall until he paused at a door. He looked back at me but in the darkness I could only make out an outline of his features.

He opened the door slowly and walked in. His room was exactly how I expected it. It was all dark mahogany laid with dark colours, green, blacks and even a few blues. He had a large four poster bed, nothing like the ones back at Hogwarts. This one was possibly a king size, with tall pointed posts and a large canopy making the whole room look historic and quite menacing. But on one wall, there was a large inbuilt bookcase filled with hundreds of books. I found myself wandering over and brushing my hand carefully along the spines of fiction and non-fiction neatly stacked against each other.

"You read?" I looked back at him, he was hovering on the opposite side of the room. He looked awkward and tense

He scoffed.

"Yes Flint, I read"

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Look you can pick one book to read but don't move everything around, and don't touch anything else. I'll be back soon" he said bossily before leaving me.

I watched him disappear and close the door behind him.

**Draco's POV**

I had drank too much. I couldn't help myself, having to make small talk with so many people tonight caused for a good fire whiskey. I even managed to down a few champagnes.

I definitely needed it to talk to Marcus Flint.

I had cornered him straight after I left Aster in my room. It was pretty easy to convince him to leave her alone, I left him on good authority that he would pretend that Aster was helping him with the ridiculous task of keeping him bloody relevant. To me, it sounded like a weak excuse to have Aster under her Uncle's thumb. But I had history with Marcus, he was thoroughly scared of my father, thus frightened of me. It was pretty easy to blackmail him into doing what I wanted. He didn't even question why I cared.

I told him Aster went home and then left him cowering in one corner. It was quite a rush to be honest.

It was nearly midnight and people were finally starting to leave. I had left Montague alone with Parkinson, they were too busy flirting with each other to even see me slip away. Goyle was chatting animatedly with the Bulstrode family and Crabbe was stuffing his face by the desserts table.

The alcohol was starting to wear off now, but it didn't stop me from being excited to see Aster.

All I could do was picture her in my childhood bed. Especially in that black dress of hers.

I didn't bother trying to find my father to say I was retiring to bed. He probably couldn't care less. He already made me do a round in the Ballroom, I was hoping that was enough for him tonight.

I had the East wing of the manor to myself. My mother and fathers room were in the West wing. I preferred it that way, I liked having my own space.

I opened my bedroom door to find the room empty.

My heart dropped to my stomach.

"Aster?" I called out.

A book had been left out on my side table. I picked it up to read the title.

_The Beedle and the Bard._

Why was she reading a children's book?

My bed sheets were a bit rumpled but nothing else had been moved.

"You definitely took longer than an hour"

Her voice made my heart skip a bit and I twisted my head so abruptly I felt a muscle stain in my neck.

She was standing in the doorframe of my ensuite.

"Sorry I forgot to tell you where my bathroom was" I muttered, not able to take my eyes off her body.

She was still wearing her dress, but she had taken her heels off and her hair was a bit messy. Probably from lying down.

"I figured it out" she chuckled before walking towards me.

"You like what you see Malfoy?" she taunts, cocking one eyebrow at me.

I shake my head to remove myself from my daze. Maybe I was still a little drunk.

"Can't help it when you look like that" I admit.

She gives me a gentle smile before she moves closer to me.

She smelt so good.

Now its her turn to look me up and down before she places her hands on my chest. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer, desperate to feel more of her.

She gasps lightly at my movement.

I look down at my ring on her neck.

"Did you like your Christmas present?" I ask, bringing one hand up to her neck and tracing the necklace to the ring settled in her cleavage.

I hear her breath pick up as my fingers touch her skin.

"I love it," she manages to murmur.

I bring my lips to her clavicle and kiss gently. She shivers under my touch and my pants tighten at the movement. I love the way she reacts to me, its so addictive.

"Are you going to tell me what your task is?" she says seriously, she tries to pull away from me but I grip her tightly around her waist.

"Can I tell you later?" I say before I make my way up her neck, leaving wet kisses in my wake. I didn't want to think about that right now, not when I had her in my arms.

She groans lowly as I reach the sweet spot just under her ear.

"Why not now?" she says stubbornly. I can tell she's trying desperately to stay lucid under my touch. Her voice rattles slightly as if she's trying to control her breathing.

"I haven't seen you in four weeks..." I say before nibbling on her ear.

"And?" she teases this time, her voice low and sultry.

"I miss being inside of you" I whisper hotly into her ear.

Her hands grip harshly onto my back and I feel her nails slightly dig into my shirt.

"I have your Christmas Present" she whispers before she finally latches her lips onto mine. I push my tongue against hers and I pull her flush against me, letting my hands travel down her back and to her ass. I grope it fiercely, letting a moan escape as her own hands grab my shoulders.

Her hands travel to my chest and she pushes slightly away from me, breaking the kiss and making me involuntarily sigh at the intrusion.

She reaches slowly to her side and pulls down a zipper I hadn't realised was there. The black fabric drops to her ankles and she stands in front of me in probably the hottest thing I've ever seen.

She's wearing a black lace lingerie set, totally different to the matching set she wore last time. This time her bra and knickers were accompanied by suspenders. The whole set made her curves look curvier and her breasts seemed to be spilling out from the type of bra she was wearing. She looked fucking delicious.

I must have been gaping because when I finally reached her eyes she was smirking at me.

"Well I'm guessing you like it" she teases.

"Fucking hell Ast, Merry Christmas to me"

Instantly, I pulled her back to me and placed my hand possessively around the back of her neck to tilt her head up to me.

"On the bed now" I demanded.

Her pupils blew wide but she obeyed.

She pulled out of my grasp and walked towards the bed. I watched as she perched herself on the edge and shuffled backwards to the headboard, leaning back on my pillow, all while not breaking eye contact with me. Before I could follow, she opened her legs wide, her knees bent, her eyes were now full of mischief. I blanched as she trailed her fingers down her thigh and back up to her center.

"Don't you dare" I ordered, stalking towards her. I kicked off my shoes and dress robes, before climbing on the bed and on top of her.

"I want to touch you" I murmured into her lips. I grabbed her hand that was resting on her thigh and moved it to the side, grasping it tightly as a warning.

She smiled seductively, but submitted.

**Aster's POV**

I felt my breath hitch in the back of my throat as his fingers ghosted over my underwear. He kept his eyes on mine and his lips were so deliciously close just the sight made me clench. My toes curled as his fingertips grazed along the edges of myunderwear and I had to stop a gasp from escaping my lips as he pulled my underwear to one side. He grazed his fingers softly over my folds before he stopped at my clit.

"You're so wet, fuck I've missed this" he whispered, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before he started to move his fingers on my clit, making me moan louder than I had planned.

"Fuck yes, I need to hear you tonight" he murmured against my ear.

He didn't even have to ask, I was unable to control the moans drifting from my lips as he picked up his pace, putting more pressure on the sensitive bundle of nerves. The aching and throbbing was making my back arch and my hips grind against his hand.

My lower stomach started to clench harder and my entire body tingled under his touch. It was like all my senses were tuned into overdrive after being away from him for so long. He took my grinding as I signal to curl his finger in a way that hit the right spot inside me. The action made me throw my head harshly against the pillow under me.

I moaned his name and looked up to find his silver eyes drinking me in. His eyes travelled up my body and finally resting on mine.

"Please let me come" I murmured desperately.

He smirked before leaving hot kisses on my neck, picking up the pace with his fingers. My orgasm was slowly building up, a lot more stronger than usual and the way his thumb was now stimulating me as his finger drove inside of me was making the build up earth-shattering long.

After leaving a nice mark on my neck, he pushed himself down and in between my legs.

"Come for me then" he moaned. "I've been thinking about this for weeks , hearing your moans...feeling you soaking my fingers...I'm going to lick your clean after you come".

Those words were enough to ignite my climax, making every inch of my body tremble and tense. The intense clenching in my stomach made me squirm underneath him as I came, my thighs trembling as the orgasm rippled through my body.

He slowly pulled his hand away before looking back up at me.

"As much as I love my Christmas present, it would be much easy with these off" he said before sliding my underwear off me and down my legs. He left the suspenders on, tracing them appreciatively.

He returned by leaving kisses up my legs and up my thighs, making me squirm and lean back in pleasure. Then he suddenly dragged his tongue slowly up my folds.

"Draco!" I almost screamed, grabbing his hair and arching my back from the bed.

He moaned against my center, the vibrations from it coursing through my body. His tongue traced expertly on my swollen clit. The feeling was almost painful, but I could already feel an orgasm approaching.

He dug his fingers into my thighs as he started to eat me out more eagerly, sliding his tongue to my entrance and pushing it inside of me. A strangled moan reverberated from deep in my throat.

His hands instinctivly gripped onto my thighs tightly as I moaned, so tightly I was sure there was going to be bruises there in the morning.

"Fuck" he said seriously, removing himself from between my legs and relaxing his grip on my legs. "Sorry I didn't meant to squeeze so hard". His eyes were wide and he looked concerned as he inspected my thighs.

"I don't mind..." I explained, trying to catch my breath, "its actually kinda hot...grip harder next time" I admitted, giving him a smirk.

His eyes blew wide but he returned my smirk with a devilish look.

"Don't have to ask me twice" he mumbled before kissing my thighs and reaching my clit again.

He sucked on my clit and nibbled softly before slipping his tongue into me again. This time my orgasm caught me completely off guard, making me grab his hair tightly and screwing my eyes up at the intensity. I had never had a second orgasm so quickly.

My entire body quivered underneath him as he flattered his tongue over my heat and licking slowly, almost like he was savoring every taste. I tried to push his head away as the nerves started to go numb from the tingling but he didn't move, instead he dug his nails into my thighs further, causing me to groan and writher into the bed under me.

"Please, I can't.." I managed to say in between pants. My body was going to collapse if he continued.

"But you taste so good" he murmured, pulling away from me finally. I looked down to meet his lustful silver eyes, watching how my wet arousal dripped from his chin.

He ran his tongue over his bottom lip before he left a sweet kiss on my thigh, right where his thumb left a decent sized bruise. I pulled his hair to bring his back up to me.

Finally, he relented and meet my lips with a soft but passionate kiss, delving his tongue into my mouth. A moan escaped the back of his throat and I shivered at the sound. I was starting to get addicted to the way he reacted to me, the way he adored my body and the sounds he made. I was really starting to like the way he talked to me and the way he possessively grabbed me.

"I'm not finished with you yet" he announced in between kisses.

Fuck, I was done for.


	49. The Calm

_He touched me_   
_and it felt_   
_as if_   
_the stars_   
_were dancing_   
_across my skin._

**Aster's POV**

My whole body was spent. Already. But Draco was relentless, he continued to kiss me deeply, letting his hands wander all over my body, his fingers fiddling with my lingerie appreciatively.

My skin was starting to heat up under the lace fabric and I itched for it to be off and for my skin to be touching his bare skin. He was still wearing his white shirt and dress pants, so I feverishly started to pop the buttons from his shirt to smooth my hands on his chest and up to his shoulders. I pushed the shirt off and leaned forward to plant wet kisses on his collarbones.

He moaned under my touch and I felt his body lift from mine, I watched as he pulled off his dress pants. He groaned with relief as he freed himself from his briefs, kneeling at the end of the bed, he was already so hard, his tip already swollen and red.

My whole body tensed as I drank him in, lean with hardened muscles. He had no idea how breath-taking he was.

I tore my eyes away from his body and found him staring at me with a deep lustful look, the look made me shiver with anticipation. I was suddenly very aware that he was completely naked and I wasn't. As if reading my mind, he looked down at my bra and then my suspenders.

"As much as I really do love my Christmas present, I am quite partial to what's underneath" he announced, licking his bottom lip as his eyes raced down my body.

I didn't reply, instead I pushed myself up from the bed and reached round to unclasp my bra. I slowly pulled the straps down, all while keeping my eyes latched on his. He watched my every move, still at the end of the bed, frozen, his muscles strained.

As soon as I slip the suspenders and underwear off, he starts to crawl towards me, leaving kisses on my legs. Once he gets to my thighs, he licks a long stipe towards my hip making me squirm and groan.

"Draco, please" I begged, the foreplay was too much and I needed relief.

"As you wish, darling"

He swiftly guided my legs to wrap around his hips, circling his tip on my clit, finally lowering it to my entrance and thrusting into me easily.

"Oh my god" I moaned loudly as I clenched around him.

"If that was not the most delicious obscene sound I'd ever heard, I don't know what is" he groaned into my ear. My eyes rolled back as he thrusted into me again.

He continued to steadily increase his thrusts, they were slow but hard. So intense I could already feel my orgasm build in my stomach, the pressure swirling into one pressured point.

"Fuck" I managed to say in a moan.

I found his eyes staring into mine, a mischievous glint now shone back.

He pulled out and grabbed my waist, turning me around on the bed.

I instantly pushed myself up on my knees and pressed my chest into his bed, curving my back for him.

"Fukcing hell Ast" he breathed heavily from behind me.

We hadn't done this position yet, and I could already feel how drenched I was from the anticipation.

His hands gripped hard onto my waist, as he guided himself into me from behind. The pressure was stronger now, the angle was exactly what I needed. My thighs already starting to quiver.

I was clenching tighter around his cock now, and I knew my orgasm was near. He started to pick up the pace and my face unexpectedly slammed into the pillow underneath me.

"Fuck" I screamed into the pillow.

His hands released from my waist.

"Sorry are you ok?" He asked, pausing inside of me.

"Fucking hell Draco, keep going" I said impatient and ready for the rolling orgasm stiring in my stomach.

His chuckle made goosebumps erupt on every inch of my skin.

He increased the tempo, gripping onto my hips this time. His ring was pressed up against my hip bone and causing an unexpected intense feeling add ontop of my growing orgasm.

He slammed his hips roughly. He hadn't fucked me this roughly before, his hips were crashing against my ass. Pain started to reverberate but I relished in it, enjoyed it.

An aggravated sound escaped my lips as I felt my organsm reach its peak.

"Are you coming baby?" he growled lowly from behind.

Baby.

Fuck sake.

The word made butterflies wrap themselves around my orgasm and I gripped the sheets beneath me, clenching my fists until they turned white.

My thighs shook as he continued to bury himself in me.

"You feel so good around my cock...soak me. Don't hold back." he groaned as I continued to shake underneath him.

"Yes fu-uck" I cried out.

As I moaned from beneath him, I felt as he spilled into me. His hands gripped me tighter, his body stilling at he also orgasmed. He slowed down inside of me as he softened, and pulled out. I collapsed instantly on the bed, my hips slamming into the mattress in exhaustion.

I could hear Draco's heavy pants as he laid down next to me. I pulled my head up to look at him, resting one side on the pillow underneath me.

His eyes were soft now, but a slight sheen of sweat coated his forehead. His hair was messy, his lips still swollen, the whole sight of him post sex was enough to make me sigh and squeeze my thighs together again.

"What?" he teased cheekily, looking down at my thighs.

"How can you look that good after what we just did?" I groaned.

I probably looked like a disheveled mess myself. I could feel my hair plastered to my forehead and neck, I knew it would be a knotted mess.

He laughed at me, his eyes twinkling.

"You really have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?" he replied.

I shook my head and laughed.

I stilled as he reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear. He reached down and tipped my jaw up to meet his lips, pressing gently against mine, moaning slightly.

I twisted my body towards his, wrapped one leg around his waist and pulling myself flush against his bare body.

We were both still startling hot, our bodies still sweaty but I needed to be near him. My body still craved him, possibly craved him more after that.

He pulled away from my lips and let his hands trail down my neck and to my collarbone, tracing my scar. He looked lost in his thoughts, almost dream-like.

"I missed you" I whispered.

I clamped my lips shut as soon as the words left my mouth. My heart started to race.

He looked up in my eyes, shock flickered but it was quickly replaced with a gleam.

The pounding in my chest slightly eased at the sight.

"You just missed sex" he mumbled back.

My heart stopped.

"Yeah..sure" I mumbled, trying to look anywhere but his face.

His chuckle made me freeze and I glared at him.

"Did you actually miss me Flint?" he joked.

His eyes were soft but sparkling, his tone wasn't harsh but instead it was like he was actually asking me the question, like he was actually curious.

I smirked at him.

Two can play at this game.

I pressed my breasts into his chest and started to leave a trail of kisses on his jaw.

"Don't try and distract me" he growled, but I could tell it was working. His cock hardened against my thigh.

I started to suck softly on his neck, enjoying the taste of his skin.

"You missed me" he murmured, his voice softer now, sincere.

I looked up, surprised at the change of tone. His silver eyes were thoughtful, he blinked waiting for my honest reply.

"Of course I missed you" I whispered back.

I continued to suck on his neck, distracting my very real thoughts with leaving harsh hickeys on his neck.

He chuckled but a slow moan soon followed as I sucked on his skin.

**Draco's POV**

Her admission made my stomach flip.

She missed me.

Like actually missed me, not just sex.

Well maybe she also missed sex...

But still...

I needed to distract myself.

So I let my hands wander down her naked body. She moaned under my touch and my cock twitched at the sound.

"I don't think my body could handle another round" she laughed into my neck.

I sighed but I pulled away from her.

She rolled onto her back, and I took the opportunity to really look at her. I watched as her eyelashes fluttered before she closed her eyes. She was so perfect, her olive skin, the splattering of freckles she had on her cheeks, even her sweaty hair was tousled perfectly underneath her. He breasts rose heavily as she breathed.

"I'm going to have to put clothes on if you don't stop staring at me" she mumbled, her eyes still closed.

I chuckled before I rolled onto my own back.

I reached to my side and pulled up a thick woolen blanket that had been pushed off the bed in our tumble to be with each other. I draped the blanket onto her bare body and across mine.

She opened her eyes as the heaviness from the blanket settled on her. I pulled myself nearer to her and pulled her body into mine.

I never thought I would be cuddling Aster Flint in my childhood bed.

"We need to talk about before" she whispered into my chest.

I willed my heart to keep steady, to not betray me as she lay right on top of my chest.

"I don't want to" I stubbornly said.

"We have to, you promised me" she looked up at me then, her eyes serious and dark.

"I know" I mumbled softly.

She leaned her jaw onto my chest and kept staring back at me, her eyes curious and waiting.

"Fine" I whispered.


	50. Before

**Aster's POV**

"First things first, you cannot tell a soul about what I'm doing. I also need you to promise me you will stay away from your Uncle. I don't want them knowing you're helping me."

I picked myself up from his chest and sat crossed legged next to him, pulling the blanket to cover myself.

"Ok but is what you're doing dangerous?" I asked, now suddenly anxious.

"Well yes but I only need your help with one thing, I'll do the rest" he looked up to the canopy of his bed above him, his eyebrows now furrowed.

"Will you just tell me already?" I said impatiently.

He stayed quiet for a few seconds, still staring upwards. Then suddenly, he pushed himself upwards and leant against his bedhead, crossing his bare arms across his chest. I couldn't help but stare at his flexed biceps, he was lean but his arms always drew my attention. I felt my mouth dry up at the sight.

"I have to repair a vanishing cabinet...." his silver eyes refused to meet mine.

"Ok?"

"To smuggle Death Eaters into Hogwarts..."

I felt my heart rate steadily increase, but I kept my face impartial.

"Why?" I almost whispered.

He snapped his eyes at my whisper, a flash of weariness echoed in his irises.

"...Um, I don't know, my mission is to just repair the cabinet," he hurriedly answered.

I watched as he absent-mindedly clenched his fists.

"Why did you join them, Draco?"

His face quickly goes pale from my question, but it quickly turns back to his usual colour.

"I had to," he says sharply.

I frown at him.

"Why?" I press.

He sighs heavily and I watch as he takes in a deep breath, closing his eyes in the process.

"Flint, it's done. There's no going back, I'm a death eater" he says before he opens up his eyes again. This time, his silver eyes are blank, void of feeling. The sight makes my stomach drop.

Instead of the natural instinct to back off, I crawl forward and onto his lap. He watches me as I lower myself onto his thighs, his eyes still blank. His hands lay impassively by his side.

"What are you doing?" he asks.

"I'm helping you" I reply softly.

"I don't need your help, I'm only doing this so you don't go get yourself killed". This time I see something flicker in his eyes, something real.

My thoughts race. I could ask him why he cares so much that he's willing to involve me in his task to keep me out of my Uncle's grasp but from the way he's acting so still and cold, my heart tells me now's not the time.

An intrusive thought pops into my head.

"Are you using me?"

His eyes go wide.

"What?" He spits out.

"You said my dad is helping you with this vanishing cabinet, are you using me to find out what my dad knows so you can please your own father?" I tried to keep my voice neutral, but from the look of his face, I could tell he was displeased with the accusation.

"Fuck Flint, its quite the fucking opposite...Sure you can help because your father knows more about this stuff then anyone, but surely if you find out, that way I can keep your father out of all this while also keeping my father happy and you from sticking your big nose in everyone elses business?"

"Oh" was all I could manage to say.

My thoughts were trying to order themselves in my brain.

If I was to help Draco fix the cabinet with the information my father knows, I could keep my father safe and out of Lucius hand's.

Keeping my family safe was the priority.

Also helping Draco was a plus.

"So you want me to see what my dad knows about this vanishing cabinet?"

His hands finally found my hips, and I couldn't help but shiver under his touch.

"That would be helpful, yes," he said.

"Ok I can do that" I pondered.

"So you promise to stay away from your Uncle?"

I nodded, still slightly distracted from the whirl of thoughts circling my head.

"Do you think anyone saw you tonight?"

His question startled me.

"Why?" I said defensively.

"Well I don't want anyone to know you're helping me, he can't find out, my father can't find out either"

I brushed his hands off my hips annoyed, his eyes narrowed confused.

"Fucking hell" he murmured, "I'm not ashamed of being seen with you Flint, its not about you being a half-blood anymore, thats the least of my worries. It's about him finding out about you," he grabbed my thighs possessively, pulling my legs closer to his waist.

My hands instantly landed on his chest, I was inches away from his face now.

"I am not ashamed of you Flint, I think we are way past that now, don't you?" he whispered low, his tone domineering.

I gulped loudly but nodded.

"If someone saw you tonight and told the Dark Lord, he could easily demand you join him. And someone like you...well I already told you, you have this way with people that he could easily use" he told me, his silver eyes serious.

"I would never let someone use me".

"He would use everything in his power to use your influence" he murmured.

A sense of dread washed over me as I realised what he was saying, he would use my father, he could hurt my mother.

"Fuck" I wshipered.

"Did you not realise how serious this was?" Draco suddenly laughed menacingly.

My whole body tensed as his laugh reverberated through my bones.

"I mean I did...."

"If it was up to me, you wouldn't have anything to do with this...or even me!" he raised his voice slightly, making me flinch.

"So basically if I never came tonight, you would have just ignored me at Hogwarts? Ignored...this?" I say looking down at my hands still plastered on his chest.

"Yes" he said bluntly.

I started to move backwards off him, it was getting too much. I had gone full throttle into this situation without totally processing it all. I always fucking did this, I was too impulsive, too caught up in the now to process the consequences.

Blaise warned me of this.

"I should go" I said quietly, picking myself off his bed and searching the floor for my dress.

"So you go running straight into a dangerous plan to then just run away once you realise what the repercussions are?"

I look over to find Draco rising from the bed, wrapping the blanket around his waist. He strolls up to me, his confidence surprises me, I would have expected him to yell, to let me go.

"I would have ignored you because I would have wanted you to have nothing to do with this death eater business, I need you safe Aster. As much as I loved you being here tonight, I'm so fucking angry as well. You couldn't just stay away? You couldn't just be safe and ignorant?" his voice was still surprisingly level.

"Why do you care so much about what I do?" I yelled back, desperate for him to raise his voice at me, to be angry and show me. I needed someone to tell me off, to make me feel like my emotions right now were valid.

"Why do you fucking think I care?!" he stopped, hovering just inches away from me, his hands splayed out in defiance.

I stared at him, searching his face for the answer.

"What are we Draco?" I finally asked, my heart beating at a million miles an hour.

He laughed.

He chuckled.

His eyes glittered with a sarcastic humour.

"Are we seriously having this conversation now?" he spat out.

I grimaced.

"Ok fine, we don't have to talk about that right now." I concluded. He brushed his hands through his hair and looked down at his feet.

"Lets just work together with this and try not to get killed ok?" he said through gritted teeth.

The tension seemed thicker now, uncertain and odd.

I was currently standing in the middle of his room naked. Suddenly, I felt exposed and I wrapped my hands around my waist.

"Do you have to go now?" his voice broke the awkward silence.

I looked up to find him walking back towards his bed.

"I told my parents I was spending the night at Blaise's..." I answered.

Draco looked at me, running his eyes up and down my body, I shivered at his attention. He picked up his wand and flicked it. A white t-shirt came flying out of his opened wardrobe and he caught it expertly with one hand.

"Here, wear this and come back to bed" he ordered, his eyes serious with a glint of something else.

"You want me to stay?" I couldn't help but ask, after that conversation I was sure he wanted to keep things professional.

"Do I really need to answer that?" he rolled his eyes before climbing back into bed.

His abhorrent ego was currently on full show.

Lucky for him, his ego was something I actually admired.

I walked to the opposite side of the bed and grabbed the tshirt from him, throwing it over my body, the hem hitting my upper thigh.

It smelt like him, instantly calming my nerves.

"I need to let Blaise know Im staying" I muttered, not able to look at him in the eyes.

I felt awkward, unsure and to be completely honest quite stupid.

He knew what he was talking about when it came to this huge mess. He was right. I was naive and stupid to think I could help and not endanger myself or my family more. This was bigger than me and I needed to see it that way if I wanted to keep my family safe.

"I'll handle it," he said before climbing back off the bed and fetching a piece of parchment from a nearby oak desk. Surprisingly the desk was messy and unorganised, stacked with books and various quills.

He scribbled something down and slid the parchment into an envelope, heating a melting spoon with his wand and stamping his black wax seal on the back of the envelope. I watched almost dazingly as he strolled to his window and opened the large arched glass, whistling smoothly, a brown owl fluttered up. It was his owl, one I had seen drop off letters at school. He gave the letter to the owl and the owl was off in an instant.

"Who did you send that to?" I asked.

He strolled back around to his side of the bed before answering.

"Zabini, told him you were staying here" he muttered nonchalant.

I couldn't help but smile.

"What?" He said, noticing my smile.

"He's going to get a real kick out of the fact I'm staying here tonight, I wonder what he thinks we're up to" I teased, feeling my tension ease from my shoulders.

I watched as a small smile grew on his lips.

"I told him you were busy in my bed tonight Flint" he answered arrogantly.


	51. Good Girl

**Draco's POV**

Her head was resting on my upper chest, the heaviness seemed to ground me, help with the rushing doubts I had involving her.

Was I really strong enough to keep her protected while she helped me?

Should I actually let her help?

But as he breaths lulled, I found my own breaths slowing, my heart returning to its normal rhythm.

I had to coax her to be this close to me, to be nestled into my body. She was still wary about our conversation. I still wasn't sure if she was upset about my mission or the way I pushed the topic of us to the side.

I couldn't think about us right now, why couldn't we just be? Be what we were. It probably wasn't wise of me to ask her to stay the night. I should probably be pushing her away, keeping her at bay, but I needed some comfort after tonight and she was the only comfort I had experienced in years. She helped me feel grounded, real, myself. I was being selfish but hey I was Draco Malfoy, I was known for being selfish.

I let myself revel in her closeness, the way her body fit around mine as she slept. I was getting quite used to sleeping next to her.

\---

I woke up to a loud thump.

Flicking my eyes open, I search the room for the interruption.

My curtains had been drawn wide open, the golden light from the sunrise blanketing the room with a glow.

Squinting my eyes against the brightness, I find Aster legs crossed, head in a book beside me.

I groaned.

"Sorry, dropped the book" she mumbled, looking up at me. She gave a small smile before burying her head back into the small blue book.

"This is how you wake me up?...I thought having a girl in my bed meant the mornings would be a lot nicer than this" I tease, giving her a smirk before picking myself up and leaning against the bed frame.

"Ah but I'm not just any girl" she smirked back.

She drags her eyes back to her book, a smile still evident on her pretty lips.

"No..." I whisper, more to myself than her.

Her lip turns up as she hears me.

"What are you reading?" I ask her, shuffling my body closer to hers and pulling her elbow so her body turns.

Her dark hair swishes as she spins to face me, the smell of sandalwood drifting over and making my legs tense.

I pull her elbow again and motion to my lap. She smiles at the gesture and puts her book down beside her before climbing onto me. The sheets are the only thing blocking my skin from touching hers.

I run my fingers up her thighs and find that she's put underwear on since last night. I continued up her curves and tightly held her hips, her skin was warm and soft.

"Good morning" she whispered sweetly, pushing her hips down firmly onto me. I feel my dick harden at the movement, and I grip tighter onto her.

"Can I wake up to you every morning?"

The words escape my lips before I stop can trap them in. They feel foreign, weird but true.

But Aster being Aster, she doesn't draw on the truth to the words, instead she smirks and grinds her hips closer, moving herself up and down on my erection currently straining under the sheets.

She pushes her hands into my chest and lowers herself down slightly, I stare up and into her eyes searching for something.

"I was thinking about your task..." she looks at me, curious and wide-eyed.

I nod.

"I heard that the Dark Lord can read minds, how do I help you without him knowing?" she narrows her eyes.

"My Aunt taught me Occlumency, I'm actually quite good at it" I give her a smug smirk.

"Occlumency....that's supposed to be extremely hard isn't it? Shouldn't I also learn...just in case?" She runs her hands up and down my chest, making my skin tingle.

"Yes not many people can do it well. You have to empty your mind from all emotions, block Legilimens from reading your thoughts, feelings even memories if you can" I explained, lessening my grip on her hips and placing my palms on her thighs.

"Empty your emotions? How?"

She seemed baffled, it was quite cute.

"You just don't feel things, you make your mind quiet..." I suddenly felt sort of dumb. Wasn't this something everyone could do? Even if it was for a short time?

"I have a feeling I'll be completely useless then, my head is always racing with thoughts and feelings.." she explained, her cheeks growing a slight red.

"I can teach you, I'll have to I suppose"

She smiled at me before leaning down and planting a small kiss on my clavicle, her hot lips making my dick twitch beneath her. Then she pulls away, righting herself and tilting her head back to make her hair fall straight behind her. The whole act made me instantly rush upwards and grab her before she left me completely.

"Don't go anywhere" I growled, clutching her towards me so our chests were flush and she was staring down at me.

She giggled as I grabbed her, the sound reverberating through my body.

"Ok, that's it." I demanded, shuffling us off the bed and picking us up. The covers drop to the floor, leaving me naked. I carry her towards the bathroom, as she laughs, not being able to stifle the smile growing on my face.

"What are you doing?" she squeals.

"We're having a shower" I grin, groping her ass beneath the white t-shirt that she was still wearing.

She wriggles in my arms but I grip onto her tightly, pushing the bathroom door open with my foot and placing her on the edge of my vanity. I leave her there while I climb into the shower and turn the taps. The water splashes at my feet, streaming from the showerhead above me.

"So do you really find it easy to just not think?...to not feel anything? Isn't that disconcerting?" her voice echoes in the tiled bathroom.

I step out of the shower and walk towards her, nudging her knees open with my legs and settling myself into them.

"I've been doing it my whole life, you just have to add another layer to it with occlumency" I explain simply.

"That's so odd" she ponders out loud, her voice curious but not judgemental.

I run my fingers lightly on her thighs and grip the edge of the t-shirt, lifting it up and over her head.

"Its important that you know the basics, I'll teach you when we go back to school. I don't want anyone digging into your pretty little head". I trace my fingers around her curves and up to her breasts, her breathing becomes heavier and I look up to find her expression now soft.

She whimpers a little as I pinch her nipple.

The noise makes me fingers explore more, tracing the underside of her breasts and between them, her breath starts to become laboured. I look up to find her eyelids flutter.

"Are you going to be good for me and do as I say?" I murmur.

Her eyes flick open. Her pupils blown wide.

"With the task?" she manages to whisper back.

"Well I meant now but yes with that as well" I chuckle, leaning close and biting her ear lobe.

"Good girl, now get up and take your underwear off" I order, stepping back while keeping my eyes locked on her green ones.

She keeps her eyes on mine as she jumps off the vanity and peels her underwear off, seductively and agonisingly slow.

She kicks her underwear to the side and stands idly waiting for my next instruction.

I rake my eyes over her body, drinking in her curves. I reach her eyes finally, and find her head tilted to one side, her eyebrows raised.

I raise my eyebrows back at her, amused.

"Now in the shower" I order.

She slowly walks towards the open shower and walks in without checking the temperature. I watch as she tilts her head back and lets the hot water spill over her chest.

That image will be forever burned into my brain.

"Are you coming?" her voice preens from underneath the sound of the water hitting the tiled floor.

I snap out of my trance and walk towards her, still watching the water hit every curve of her body.

I step behind her, letting the water hit the side of her neck and onto my chest. I dance my fingers across one side, while I sweep her wet hair across her other shoulder so I can lean forward and plant a kiss on her wet neck.

She leans into my body, moaning softly.

"I've imagined you here with me countless times" I whisper into her ear.

She groans at my words and wiggles into me.

I wrap my arm around her waist and push her closer to me, my cock pressing up against her ass.

"Touch me" she whispers almost desperately.

I do as she says.

I slip my hand down her stomach, letting my fingers drag softly against her wet folds. She whimpers as soon as I touch her bundle of nerves, pressing firmly on her clit making her wriggle into my cock.

"Fuck Ast," I groan into her ear.

I suck on her neck as I circle my fingers on her clit, making her moan loud and writher uncontrollably.

"I need more," she whines.

The whining desperation of her voice makes my cock so fucking hard it aches.

I pick up the pace with my fingers, sliding them into her and curving them upwards to make her squirm more. She stumbles under the increased pressure and I slip forward slightly, the water now hitting my back. I press her into the cold tiles as she cries louder.

Her breasts now squashed against the tiles, her body arched so that I can still fuck her with my fingers.

"I want you to moan as loud as you can, no one can hear us. I have this side of the manor all to myself" I murmur against her neck, leaving a wet kiss on the sweet spot just below her ear.

She doesn't reply, instead she leans her head back into my chest, arching her body more.

"Did you hear me?" I whisper hotly in her ear, removing my fingers from her slowly.

She whimpers at the action.

"Yes" she pants out. She tries to twist around but I grab her hips and stop her.

"No, I need to be in you right now.." I demand, not giving her another warning before slamming my hips against hers and burying my cock inside her as deep as I could go.

"Fuck- Draco!" She moans loudly, seemingly surprised at my forwardness.

"Louder" I murmur.

She moans louder this time, as I roll my hips slowly. She was tighter than usual from the angle and I could already feel my body react hotly.

"Do you still ache from last night darling?"

"Yes" she mumbles.

"Well you're definitely going to ache after this" I say before I start to fuck her harder, slamming my hips relentless until her ass was red and the sound of our centres connecting echoes around us.

She presses her hands into the tiles in front of her as I pick the pace up. Swearing and whimpering underneath me.

"Fuck Draco, yes!" She screams, making my skin shiver with pleasure.

I dig my fingers into her flesh, and thrust hard enough to make her legs tremble.

"Harder..." She groans.

Fuck, this girl just keeps surprising me every time.

"With pleasure" I murmur into her ear, before snaking my arm around her hips and slipping my hand in between her legs to finger her clit.

I move my fingers, pressing them just enough to be painfully pleasant. It seems this girl likes it rough. A twin flame to myself. Finally.

She tilts her head back so I can see her face and I watch in pleasure as her eyes roll back. This time I moan loudly.

"How good is my cock, baby, tell me" I moan again, the way she was clenching and throbbing as I fucked her was bringing me closer to the edge.

"It's the best -fuck!" She screams as she circles her hips to feel more of my fingers. It stimulates her more, and she writhers uncontrollably, making my cock twitch inside of her.

"I'm going to leave you raw, so you can remember me" I tell her, pinching her clit until she tries to squirm away, edging her hands along the tiles in front of her. "Do you want that?" I ask, squeezing her hip so she stays in place with my other hand.

I slam into her again, taking my hand away from her clit and groping her ass aggressively.

"Fuck" this time she groans heavily in pain.

I can't help but pause slightly. She tilts her head up to face me, her eyes wide and her pupils blown.

"Keep going, I thought I said once that I like pain" she says, now a little twinkle in her eye.

I grin.

Thank god.

I slide my hand up her spine and wrap my hand around her throat, keeping her still as I fuck her. I pull her back against my chest so I can feel her squirm as she comes.

"That's it...soak my cock" I whisper into her ear, looking down at her, her body slick with water and sweat from the steam.

"Jesus fucking Christ" Her obscene moans were music to my ears. She clenches tighter, tight enough to trigger my own release. I spill into her and collapse onto her back, pressing her against the wet tiles. I release my hold on her neck.

"We don't pray to Jesus baby" I smirk into her ear.

We both pant loudly as I pull out of her. I step back into the pouring water and sigh heavily as the water hits my chest.

"C'm here" I murmur, pulling her off the wall and into my arms.

I spin her around and find her face flush and bright red. A smile wide on her face.

I look down to her neck and find fresh bruises on her clavicle and red marks on her neck from me chocking her. I brush my finger tips along the mark and wince.

"Sorry, I was too rough wasn't I?"

I may be an arrogant self-serving Malfoy but I still had respect for boundaries.

She smirks before rising on her tip toes and pressing her lips against mine. The water from the shower head streams heavily on her face.

"How about I let you know when I don't like something?" she murmurs against my lips.

"Fine" I say satisfied.

I was starting to enjoy the way we could get lost in each other, there was no gravitating guilt or hesitancy now with us two. I felt like I could actually be myself and let me inhibitions out more freely now.

I just hope it didn't scare her.


	52. The Storm

**Aster's POV**

After several attempts at actually washing ourselves without getting distracted, we finally stepped out of the shower, both clean and bright red in the face.

Draco threw me a towel before wrapping one around himself, the white cloth making his own skin look a perfect porcelain. He was extremely lean and tall but the years of Quidditch had definitely given him prominent abs and sculpted arms.

I followed him out of the bathroom and watched as he stretched up to reach something in his wardrobe. My own breath hitched in my throat as his bare arms flexed in the morning light.

"Please stop looking at me like that, I'll never let you leave this room"

His voice woke me up from my stare and I blinked shamelessly at him before giving him a cheeky smile.

"Can't help it" I teased, removing my gaze from his and searching the room for my dress and underwear.

After finding my bra and underwear, I gathered up my dress in my arms and moved back towards the bathroom.

"You can borrow another t-shirt if you want? And maybe my tracksuit bottoms?...so you don't have to go home in your dress" he spoke up before i reached the bathroom door.

He was already pulling a fresh white t-shirt and a pair of grey tracksuit bottoms from his chest of drawers before I had a chance to answer.

"Oh yeah thanks" I awkwardly replied, walking back towards him and leaving my dress on his bed.

He stalked towards me, his silver eyes examining my body with a sort of ferocity I couldn't distinguish. He was about an inch away from me before a loud knock pounded on his bedroom door.

I flinched backwards at the loud noise.

Draco didn't seem bothered by the interruption, instead his eyes stayed locked on mine as he called out.

"What?"

"Master Draco Sir, you have visitors downstairs and your father wants you to meet him in the dining room immediately" a squeaky elf voice echoed from behind the closed door.

He squeezed his eyes briefly at the mention of his father and I watched as his bare chest heaved.

His eyes snapped open as a loud squeal erupted from the hallway. I snatched the clothes from Draco's hands and pulled them to my chest against the towel still wrapped tightly around me.

Suddenly, the large door to Draco's bedroom flung wide open.

Professor Snape was currently stood tall in the doorframe, his eyes narrowed on Draco.

My whole stomach flipped and I instantly stepped backwards.

"Draco, please collect yourself and meet me outside in five minutes" Professors Snape's eyes finally travelled to mine, his eyes narrowing more.

"Miss Flint, there is a fireplace down the hallway and to your right, please use the floo network to get home" his monotone voice demanded.

I felt all colour drain from my face.

I was utterly mortified.

Professor Snape turned with a swift flick of his dark robes and slammed the door behind him.

"For fucks sake" Draco muttered before he pulled out a black shirt from his wardrobe and pulled it on over his head.

"What the fuck is Professor Snape doing here?" I questioned, my voice slightly wavering still from shock.

Draco ignored me, focusing on the buttons on his shirt. He looked calmer now, an odd neutrality about his features settled on his face.

"Draco!" I shouted, desperate for an explanation.

He flipped his gaze to me at the tone but there was still an emptiness in his light eyes.

"Put your clothes on" he muttered, before rummaging through his drawers and pulling out some briefs and trousers.

He dropped his white towel and pulled his clothes on hurriedly.

My skin started to itch so I threw my own towel on the floor and quickly pulled his grey tracksuit on my legs and haphazardly pulling the t-shirt over my wet hair.

Frustrated and irritable, I grabbed my wand from the side table and muttered a drying spell.

I stormed around his room before I found my heels behind a lone armchair. I piled my dress and underwear in my arms before finally facing Draco.

He was standing idly, dressed in all black.

"Ready?" he asked calmly.

I narrowed my eyes at him, searching his face for any sort of emotion.

"Are you using occlumency right now?" I asked curiously.

He didn't reply, instead he nodded towards the door.

Guess that was a yes.

Why would he need to be practicing that now?

"I'll see you at Hogwarts" he said before he opened his door and ushered me out. I stumbled slightly, feeling dismissed and neglected.

Professor Snape was waiting down the hallway, his hands shoved in his robes, staring out of a nearby window.

I grimaced slightly.

Suddenly a ear splitting scream echoed down the hallway.

The sound made my bones shake and my blood turn cold.

I widened my eyes at Draco, searching his face for an explanation.

Instead, Professor Snape hurried down the hallway, his eyes wide and serious.

"Miss Flint, you need to go now" he demanded.

A strange coldness seeped through the hallway, one that made me feel threatened.

"Yes Professor" I answered. I spared a glance at Draco before I left, he lunged forward and grabbed my hand unexpectedly.

I looked at him wide eyed.

He squeezed my hand before quickly letting go and turning to Professor Snape.

I guess that was his version of a goodbye.

**Draco's POV**

"What in gods name is she doing in your bedroom?" Severus hissed at me as we hurried down the hallway and towards the staircase.

"Does it matter?" I irritably replied.

"You better have a handle on your occlumency if you don't want her getting dragged into this mess and killed" he demanded.

"I do" I muttered through clenched teeth.

"You shouldn't be involved with anyone right now. Even if you have mastered occlumency, it doesn't mean he can't hurt the people you care about". His voice went quiet at the end of his sentence and I looked to my side to find him staring off into the distance.

"I don't care for her"

"Either way...I should have taught you not Lestrange" he muttered more to himself than me.

I funneled my feelings into a tight space in the back of my mind and focused on the empty void that normally encompassed the space in my brain.

It seemed harder than usual, my mind kept flicking between channels. Thoughts of Aster last night kept leaking through the tight grasp I was trying to grip onto.

As I was sorting through my thoughts, edging them into the back corner of my mind one at at time, we had come to a stop outside the dinning room. 

"He wants to see if you understand what your task is. Do not give him any reason to doubt you Draco.." 

I nodded but kept my eyes on the closed door to the dinning room. I could hear hushed voices but nothing else. Did the scream come from in there? What was he doing here again?

I shut down those thoughts quickly, the mental capacity to use occlumency was harder than usual this morning. 

Severus pushed the doors open and ushered me inside. The large dark oak dinning table was dimly lit by the roaring fire in the center of the room, squinting my eyes I was able to recognise my fathers white hair sitting at one of the chairs closest to the fire. At the top of the table, sat the man (if you could even call him that) of my nightmares. 

Every time I was in his presence, my blood turned an icy cold. I was still not used to his chalk-white translucent skin, the ugly snake like slits for his nostrils and worse, the blood red cat like eyes. Eyes, I tried desperately to avoid. 

"Draco, finally." My father chided from the opposite side of the room. 

I felt Severus push his hands into my back and I stumbled forward reluctantly. I kept my eyes focused on the dark paneled floor as I made my way forward. A wet puddle caught my eyes near the fireplace, as I got closer the flames illuminated the wetness as blood. The dark red made my stomach coil in disgust. I shut that feeling down quickly. 

"Welcome Draco, did we keep you from something important?" his voice probed deep into my mind and I instantly shoved the mental barrier up. 

"No Sir" I replied clearly. 

I watched as he gave me a grim tight-lipped smile. 

"I was told that you are well aware of the complexities of your task and you are doing well in your progress" he muttered. 

"Yes Sir" 

He hummed in response, his head tilting down to the floor beside him. The giant snake he kept as a pet, bent upwards and leant her head into his pale hands. 

"And do you require help from anyone? I heard that the Vanishing Cabinet may prose a problem in regards to the protective wards around Hogwarts" he added. 

"No Sir, I have a few ideas of my own in regards to the protective wards" I glanced at my father, before explaining, "I will experiment once I get back to school and keep my father updated on my progress" . 

He smiled at me, his pointed teeth baring gruesomely. 

"Very good Draco. Lucius, you have a bright boy. Lets hope that you both don't disappoint me". 

The threat did not go unnoticed by my father, my father gave the Dark Lord a tight nod before glaring at me. 

"You may go" the Dark lord ordered, flicking his hand towards the doors and opening them with a crash. 

I kept my mind tightly closed as I made my way back out of the dinning room. 

As I walked the length of the table, I finally looked across the narrow oak and in the corner of the room was a body. 

I tried hard to not let the overwhelming feeling of relief break through my hold as I realised it was no one I knew. 


	53. Back to School

**Aster's POV**

The next week went excruciating slow. I spent my nights breaking into my dad's study to collate any information I could about protective spells and any research he had collected himself. Notes were always sprawled on various parchments, most nights I had to sort through the rambles and note them all down into my own journal. It felt odd, being alone in the dark inside my dad's study writing down his research, theorising, concluding. I felt like I was thirteen again, nestled in my favourite armchair near his fireplace, debating various theories with my father to pass time.

I spent a few hours every night researching, and spent the early hours of the morning meeting up with Blaise down at the beach. My mother had no idea I was still seeing Blaise outside the house. My father however, caught on quite quickly about my frequent visits to his study. Luckily I had him wrapped around my little finger.

He caught me huddled in my armchair one night, scribbling in my journal with an open textbook to my side. It was an advanced charms textbook, so I quickly explained that I was studying for school, completing an assignment. After that night, he let me use his study in the day but I was limited to textbooks about charms and I couldn't shuffle through his own notes like I wanted to.

He looked slightly better lately, colour started to return to his face, my mother was able to cut his hair, so his curls were no longer in his eyes. I gathered that the information he was required to give the Death Eaters was sufficient and he was able to relax and enjoy his research a bit more now.

My mother seemed slightly more herself, she was still strict about my comings and goings but with being so stressed during the day, she ended up being knocked out late at night and I was able to sneak out. A small feat in this never ending task.

I hadn't heard from Draco since that morning. Blaise kept telling me that he probably couldn't risk sending me an owl. It was probably for the best, I knew that once I got to school I would be distracted with helping him as well as trying to keep on top of my coursework. So for now, I focused on the research, breaking the protecting spell around the cabinet. It was annoyingly complicated, with the dark magic involved, the balance of breaking the protective spells was finicky. I really needed to actually test my theories on the cabinet itself but obviously that would have to wait until the new year.

The new year came by in a depressing blink. We spent it huddled outside in our back garden, just the three of us, watching the fireworks the muggles had let off down at the beach. I had consistently begged my mother and father to let me go meet Blaise but my Mother was determined to keep my under lock and key.

They still hadn't a clue where I went the day I went to Malfoy Manor. I felt like I was treading on eggshells for the first few days after I returned. I was certain my Uncle had told my father that I went to see him, I was even worried my mother would ask Blaise's mother about my visit. But no, nothing happened. Luck was undeniably on my side.

Before I knew it, I was back on the Hogwarts express, confined in a small compartment with Blaise by my side. It was eerily odd to not have Harper sitting opposite, but I wasn't going to start mourning her betrayal now. I had successfully pushed every thought of her out of my head during the Christmas break, something I didn't realise I was capable of doing.

Maybe I wouldn't be so bad at Occlumency?

"Have you seen Malfoy yet?" Blaise interrupted.

I had been stuffing my face with cauldron cakes since the Honeydukes express trolley had done its round.

"Nup" I mumbled, enjoying the sweet stickiness coating my mouth from the chocolate. 

"Do you think he will stick by his promise? That he will let you help him?"

I looked over to find Blaise looking at me warily, his dark eyes narrowed in his thoughts.

"He won't have a choice, I'll follow him around until he lets me help him" I replied, instantly annoyed at the thought.

Blaise raised his eyebrows, a hint of amusement behind his dark brown eyes.

"What?" I pushed.

"You guys are perfect for each other" he said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes at him and popped the last of the cauldron cake into my mouth.

"Did you see Nott's back?"

"What?" I asked, surprised that Nott would come back after months of being away.

"Yeah, saw him on the platform earlier talking to Montague" he mumbled.

"Why would he come back? I figured his parents wanted him home because of the Death Eaters..." I pondered out loud.

"Yeah, but did you see him at Malfoy Manor?"

I thought back to that night, but only flashes on Draco and me in his bed flew by. I felt my cheeks go red instantly.

"Ummm...I don't think so. I mean I didn't really stay long in the hall...I got distracted..." I mumbled.

Blaise raised his eyebrows, a smirk growing on his lips.

"Are you guys even going to be able to fix this cabinet without ripping each other's clothes off first?" he teased.

I gave him a glare before I replied.

"I can multi-task" I said, giving him a smirk back.

His laugh filled the stuffy compartment and I couldn't help but join in. 

**Draco's POV**

It was odd now that I knew who were Death Eaters. 

Currently around 70% of the large carriage I was sitting in was filled with either Death Eaters or affiliates. Even the insufferable Harper Bainbridge was involved now. 

It seemed like Parkinson's blood prejudice had been thrown out the window when it came to Bainbridge. She was currently gossiping feverishly with the half-blood. 

It made me think of Aster. 

I shut that thought down quickly. 

Nott was back, thankfully. He was one of the few that was bearable to be around. From what I knew, he wasn't a Death Eater but they had pledged their allegiance to the Dark Lord ever since they returned from their 'travels'. Montague, Crabbe and Goyle were Death Eaters. However, it looked like Goyle was just as miserable as me at the very thought. Parkinson and Bainbridge were also not graced with the dark mark. 

"Why the fuck is Bainbridge now all chummy with Parkinson?" Nott interrupted. 

He elbowed me in the side, but I pushed him away. 

"Dunno," I mumbled, returning my gaze to the book I was trying to read. 

"What happened to her and Flint? Thought they were besties" he asked. 

I exhaled loudly. 

"Fuck I dunno Nott, why do you care?" I pressed, slamming my book shut and leaning my head back on the headrest. 

"I don't," he replied crossly, "if anyone I would have thought Flint would have joined the dark side" he added with a chuckle. 

I looked up at him at that. Narrowing my eyes. 

"She hasn't" I confirmed possessively. 

He cocked an eyebrow at me.

I ignored him and returned to closing my eyes and resting my head back, desperate for some peace and quiet. 

"Yeah you're right, Flint's too good for that" he mumbled. 

I opened my eyes but kept my gaze on the dark ceiling of the carriage. 

"What do you mean, too good?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. 

"I could never see her following anyone's orders" he chuckled. 

I tried to stifle the knowing smile that was growing on my lips. 

He had no idea. 


	54. Just a Migraine

**Aster's POV**

"Can you please stop scowling?"

I frowned at Blaise. His dark eyes squinted at me in defiance.

"Seriously, it's depressing" he drawled, before reaching out and picking up a green apple from the bowl in the middle of the table.

I snatched it out of his hand and placed it back in the bowl, my frown now feeling permanently etched on my face.

"What was that for?" he whined, screwing his nose at me.

I didn't reply. Instead I ran my eyes up and down the long table.

"Is this about Malfoy?" he hissed at me, clearly annoyed still.

I gave Blaise another gut wrenching glare.

He looked back at me, pity glowering back at me.

Bile gurgled in my dry throat.

"Aster, c'mon he will talk to you eventually" he grumbled, now picking up his goblet and sipping on it obnoxiously loud. The sound made my teeth grind.

"He's ignored me for two whole days now, does he think he can just do this without me?!" I complained, gripping my fork in my hand with enough force to bend the hard steel.

"We've all been busy, you know the first few days back are full on" he replied.

I rolled my eyes.

"Just..." Blaise started, before coughing on his drink.

I look to my left and find his eyes wide. I follow his stare to see Harper sitting next to Montague, her face awfully close to him as she whispers something into his ear. I knew that look. She was flirting with him. Her hair was longer and she had opted for no make up which was unusual for her.

I look back at Blaise finding all colour washed from his face, his dark skin now shadowed by an eerily grey.

"Ignore her" I mumbled, glancing back at them quickly before finally tearing my eyes away from the ghastly pair and staring down at my empty plate.

I hadn't felt like eating anything since I returned, a pure sign of the battle crashing around in my head. It was like every dreadful emotions I had been ignoring over the holidays had come flooding back as soon as I walked through the familiar tall entrance doors to the castle.

I had cornered Draco on our first day back and casually asked him when he wanted to meet next. For a flicker of a second he looked happy to see me and then his gaze wandered to my chest and his eyes turned cold as he saw my necklace. The ring he bought for me hanging proudly from the silver chain.

He pushed me out the way without saying a word.

He had avoided me ever since.

I felt my stomach turn as I watched Blaise fill his goblet up with more juice.

My nerves were rattled from the obvious change of atmosphere in the Slytherin house. It was like every sixth year Slytherin knew about the darkness emerging on the horizon. The fact that Harper had easily slipped into their ranks was enough for rumours to drip down the grapevine and into the rest of the school.

There were only a few of us in Slytherin that had not chosen sides, the students that tried to ignore the switch in dynamics. Blaise and I being two of them.

Snapping me out of my daze, Blaise placed a piece of dry toast on my plate in front of me.

"Eat" he ordered, before munching on his own slice of toast.

I stared down at my plate, my throat suddenly feeling extremely dry and hoarse.

I picked up the toasted bread and took a small bite, letting the sharp crumbs slide down my dry throat.

"Zabini, how have you been?" a gruff voice interrupted. I look up to find Theodore Nott, sliding into the bench opposite us, a charming smile on his tanned handsome face.

I frowned. Why was he talking to Blaise?

"Nott, you're back?" Blaise said in greeting. I watched as Blaise and Nott talked animatedly about Nott's travels, my mind gave up following as soon as they started to talk about Quidditch.

I had no idea they were friends.

An ache started to appear at the base of my skull, I clenched my eyes as the pain started to grow stronger.

I picked myself up off the bench, leaving my half-eaten toast on my plate. Blaise looks up at my sudden movement, his eyes bright with worry.

"I have a headache, I'm going to go lie down. I'll meet you before Charms" I mumbled, giving him a small smile and nodding to Nott before I left.

My headache grew stronger as I made my way out of the Great Hall and down the corridor towards the Dungeons. I was in a sort of daze, my eyes drawn to the darkness of the floor, my hands clenched at my sides as I hurried to the common room. I surprised myself when I ran straight into a tall body, blocking the portrait door into Slytherin.

"Hmmph" I grunted, my hands finding balance wherever I could. I grabbed onto the person's arms as they caught me.

I looked up, squinting slightly as my headache pounded beneath my eyes.

Draco.

Of course.

I groaned and pushed him off me.

"Nope, not dealing with this right now" I complained, as I took a step backwards. My balance slightly faltered at the movement and my vision spun.

"Woah Flint, steady on"

I started to tilt to the side, my headache now grinding into a migraine.

Draco's arms caught me before I stumbled again, his hands enveloping my elbows. My palms pressed against his forearms as I righted myself, blinking slowly to focus on him in front of me.

After a few seconds of slow blinking and squinting, I found Draco's silver eyes searching my face with worry. He had dark shadows under his eyes and his skin seemed paler than usual.

"I'm fine" I muttered, trying to pull my arms out of his.

He gripped harder.

"You're not fine, let me take you to Madame Pomfrey" he ordered.

If the very motion of rolling my eyes didn't make me feel sick I would have. Instead I groaned and managed to pull one hand out of his to massage my temples.

"I just have a migraine" I mumbled, the small pressure from my fingers slightly easing the thumping.

"Do you get those often?" he asked curiously.

I opened my eyes and did my best impression of a glare.

I groaned at the attempt.

"Sometimes" I managed to whisper.

"Well at least let me help you get to your room, you look like you're about to faint or be sick" he mumbled, his tone slightly demanding and oppressive.

"Ok" I whispered, all energy to fight with him had disappeared. All I needed right now was a dark room.

He held my elbow with one hand and wrapped the other around my waist as he led me into the common room.

I couldn't help but groan loudly as the fluorescent lights of the common room made my eyes feel like flash bombs had just gone off.

Draco hurriedly ushered me along to the dorm rooms but instead of turning right and towards the girls rooms, he steered me left.

"What are you doing?" I managed to spit out, squinting my eyes against the dull sconces lining the corridors.

"You can stay in my room, that way no one will disturb you" he muttered, a slight annoyance in his tone.

I didn't argue, he had a point. If I went back to my room, I would have the girls coming in and out all morning, I needed a dark and quiet room for a few hours.

Once we got to his room, he let go of my elbow but kept his hand on my waist to open the door. The room's scones were burning a golden light but he instantly flicked his wand and they vanished. The sudden darkness instantly made my eyes relax.

He guided me towards his bed and sat me down. I closed my eyes and inwardly sighed at the peace and quiet already soothing my headache. There was still a nauseous pounding at the back of my skull but the darkness helped.

"Lie down" Draco ordered, keeping his voice low and soft.

I obeyed his orders and set my head softly on his pillow, lifting my legs up and laying them down on his bed. Surprisingly the soft scent of his aftershave on his pillow was comforting.

"You can stay here for as long as you want, I'll come back at lunch to see if you're ok" he mumbled from my side.

I kept my eyes closed so I didn't know what he was doing but after a few minutes I heard him leave the room.  
  
  
  
  
  


**Draco's POV**

She looked as bad as I felt.

I didn't want to leave her in that state but I knew from previous experience, that with migraine's the only thing to do was lie down in a dark and solace. After class I was going to run to Madam Pomfrey and grab a sleeping draught for her. Normally that helps.

I tried so hard to avoid her the last couple of days. I didn't want her helping me, not after seeing that poor man crumbled up cold and dead in my dining room. I couldn't let that be her.

I also couldn't be seen with her, now that 90% of my friends were involved with the Dark Lord. I couldn't give them a reason to think I cared about Aster and for them to inform the Dark Lord about her. She was too powerful for her own good, she had no idea how much her influence was desired amongst them all.

Luckily I was running late to breakfast this morning, so very few students were out and about in the common room when I bumped into her. I made sure no one noticed us when I guided her to my room.

I had to be more careful though.

\---

Once I managed to effectively steal a sleeping draught from Madam Pomfrey's inventory, I quickly rushed to my room.

I silently opened my door to find the room still pitch black. In the shadows casted by the small window that looked out into the Black Lake I could make out the shadow of Aster still sleeping on my bed.

Climbing into my bed quietly, I nestled myself in next to her, careful to not wake her.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she slept, she looked frustrated. At the thought of her being upset, I gracefully pulled her into my chest. She unconsciously swiveled her body towards me and moaned as she burrowed her head into my chest.

I willed my heartbeat to slow down.

Her eyebrows remained wrinkled, but she let out a soft moan again, the sound vibrating against my school shirt and into my chest.

I closed my eyes and let the heaviness of her body sink me into slumber.

\---

A yell woke me from my dreamless sleep.

Aster was screaming.

My eyes found her instantly, her body wriggling drastically to my left, her arms thrashing around and hitting my torso.

Her eyes were closed.

She was having a nightmare.

"Aster" I whispered, climbing on top of her and grappling her arms to stop from hurting herself.

She wriggled underneath me still, her eyes squinting in her sleep, her muffled screams turning into words.

"Stop!" she cries, tears dripping down her red cheeks.

"Ast, please wake up, you're having a nightmare" I murmur, trying to lessen the grip I had on her.

"Please, why are you doing this?" she continues.

I release one of her arms and cup her cheek, stroking my thumb on the redness now blooming on her face. She stops screaming but doesn't wake up, so I press my lips against her cheek and kiss away the tears.

She finally stops wriggling underneath me.

I stop kissing her face and look up, her eyes flutter open.

"Draco?" She murmurs, blinking away the tears from her bright green eyes.

"Ast, you were having a nightmare" I murmur softly, keeping my hand on her cheek.

She looks down and finds me straddling her, her eyes flicker back up to my face, confusion now replaces the furrowed look she had in her nightmare.

"I'm ok" she whispers.

I climb off her small body and sit down next to her, still watching as she looks around the room in confusion.

"You had a migraine, I let you sleep here" I explain.

She nods in understanding, and pulls herself up from the pillow, leaning herself against the bedframe.

"I remember, sorry" she mumbles, wiping her eyes with her school jumper.

"I got you a sleeping draught" I tell her, grabbing the small phial from my bedside table and offering it to her.

She shakes her head.

"I don't want to go back to sleep" she murmurs, rubbing her eyes more.

"Well if you need it, its here" I say, placing it back on the bedside table.

"What was your nightmare about?" I ask nervously.

She squints her eyes as if trying to remember and I watch as she opens them, her round green eyes scanning the room instead. They stop on the empty guitar stand in the corner.

"I stole your guitar"

I look at her confused.

"What?"

"I took your guitar home in the holidays...." her cheeks go back to a pale pink but I can tell she's blushing from the admission, "I have it in my room, I've been meaning to give it back to you".

"Why?" I ask, slightly amused, a smirk growing on my face.

She finally looks at me with this question. She see's my smirk and a corner of her lip rises up.

"I don't know.." she admits truthfully, her eyes growing distant as she delves into her thoughts.

I chuckle.

"Do you know how to play?" I ask her, shuffling towards her more.

We were both sat upright on my bed, our legs pressed up against each other.

She takes this as an invitation to nestle her head into my neck, a soft sigh leaving her lips.

"No" she whispers, her voice sounds exhausted, her nightmare must have tired her out even more.

"I'll teach you" I whisper back.


	55. Revelations

**Aster's POV**

There was a sort of tired aching pulse behind my eyes now but my migraine had disappeared. Waking up to a Draco on top of me was a sight I never thought I would see, especially when waking from a nightmare.

I hadn't had nightmares like that in a very long time. Hogwarts was usually the only place that I could sleep soundly.

I was staring at the empty space in which Draco's guitar once stood. It was currently leant against my bed frame in my dorm, covered by a thin blanket so I didn't have to be reminded of him every time I went to bed.

A rush of irritation itched at my arms and I pulled myself from his bed and sat up hastily on the edge, running my hands through the tangles in my hair, I inwardly groaned.

"You haven't talked to me in days" I said through clenched teeth, keeping my gaze on the window opposite me, the Black Lake eerily still behind it.

I took a moment to breath before I stood up. My anger was steadily rising, my thoughts now reorganising in my clouded head.

"You've been ignoring me for days and now you pretend to care?"

I hear Draco shuffle off his bed and in my peripheral vision I watch as he approaches.

"I-" he starts.

"You can't change your mind now, we don't have to be...friends, we can just work together. If I help you, he doesn't need to call on my father anymore" I explain, my face growing hot.

I still refuse to look at him and instead keep my eyes trained on the tendrils of seaweed now floating into the frame of the window.

"Good luck trying to help me when you don't even know where the cabinet is" he grunts.

I swivel round and find Draco's eyes narrowed and full of fire. In the darkness of the room I can make out that his fists are clenched by his sides, his mouth tight in a stern line.

I glare at him.

"I will follow you all around this bloody castle Malfoy, don't underestimate me" I challenge.

He doesn't waver in his piercing glare.

"Don't." He orders, his voice gruff and commanding, causing shivers to radiate down my spine.

I stalk up to him, not tearing my gaze from him now. Challenging him with my eyes.

"Don't what?"

He stares at my lips, his eyes still narrowed.

He tilts his head down and closer to mine.

"Stay away from me Flint. Don't come near me again". There's conviction in his voice but I can tell he doesn't want to mean it. His silver eyes lose their fire.

"You don't really want me to stay away, you just don't want me to get involved" I spit back, my anger still bubbling in my stomach.

He doesn't remove himself from the position, so I push my head closer to his, our foreheads touching.

"You can't protect me, I'm a Flint, we protect ourselves. Stop trying to be the hero in your sick dark story Malfoy."

I watch as his jaw ticks and his eyes close.

Suddenly, a force so strong that I gasp so loudly I choke on my own saliva, pushes me into the wall next to the window. One hand is around my neck, pressing lightly so I can't move.

I look up wide eyed and find an anger akin to murder in his eyes. The sight doesn't frighten me like it should, instead my stomach coils and goosebumps rise on my arms in excitement.

"I'm no hero" he says through clenched teeth. His eyes search the entirety of my face.

"I will never be anyone's hero. I will destroy you Flint, You will never be the same if you help me. You will forever be ridden with guilt for helping the enemy destroy thousands of lives. Can you live with that?" He taunts evilly.

I gulp.

"Whose lives are we destroying?" I manage to ask.

His eyes narrow further. His grip on my neck tightens as he presses his body close to me. He rests one hand above my head and tilts his head down to my ear.

"You don't want to know" he whispers hotly in my ear.

"If I'm helping you I deserve to know" I squeak out, my throat hurting from his grip.

"If" he emphasises.

I take a moment to look him in the eyes, he notices this and I take the opportunity to rake my eyes down his body, enjoying the way he looks. So domineering and in control, his arm flexing above me in his white school shirt. His school tie is loose and undone, his top buttons of his shirt undone so I greedily take in his bare chest.

I look back up and give him a sultry smirk. He raises one brow at me.

"I'm helping you Malfoy" I whisper with a small smirk.

"You are more than welcome to punish me for going against your orders, but I'm going to work on that cabinet with you whether you like it or not" I tease.

His eyes flash with surprise.

He brings his lips to the centre of my face.

"Do you get off on being disobedient Flint?" He murmurs, a glint sparkling in his eyes now.

I cock my eyebrow at him in amusement and give him a smirk in reply.

"Do you like it when I wrap my hands around your throat?" he murmurs in my ear.

"You know I do" I reply.

His pupils go wide and dark, turning his silver eyes into dark round saucers. He looks at me so intensely, my whole body quivers instantaneously.

"You're so fucking stubborn" he murmurs, the corner of his lip twisting up deviously.

I chuckle, but it comes out stifled due to the tightness of his hand around my throat.

"You will do exactly as I say if you're to help me" he orders, his eyes piercing into mine.

I roll my eyes in response.

He doesn't like this.

"Don't fucking roll your eyes at me" he demands, his eyes brightly serious. His grip on my throat tightens so much that I squirm against the wall and bring my limp arms to his chest, gripping his tie sharply.

He looks down at my hands bound in his loose tie and smiles confidently.

He loosens his grip slightly and brings his other hand down to my cheek, brushing his thumb gently over my hot skin.

"I'm serious Flint, there's a lot I have to teach you if you're going to 'help' me" he says the word help as if its bitter on his tongue. "You will do as I say".

I look up at him wide eyed, my body shivering from anticipation. My lips parted slightly as he further loosened his hold on my throat, he took this as an invitation to trace my lips with his fingers, his eyes watching enthralled.

"Firstly, I don't want you talking to me in public. I don't want you anywhere near me," he commands.

I narrow my eyes in confusion.

"I can't have people whispering about our new found civility, to the dark lord and his followers can i?" he explains, a devilish smile on his face.

"You will meet me at the corner of the Room 54 and 56 on level six every second night at 9pm. Don't get caught." he adds, his tone serious and deep. His change of tone makes my body push closer to his.

He notices this and looks down at our flushed bodies, my breasts pushing against his chest. He doesn't say anything but instead gives me a smirk.

"I'll teach you the art of Occlumency as well, although from what I've witnessed I think you've been naturally doing it for years"

This surprises me.

So much, I take a step back and push his hand away from my throat. He lets me easily.

"What do you mean?" I croak out, my throat sore still.

He looks at my curiously, as if I'm his experiment. My body goes haywire from all the emotions pulsating through it.

"You're migraine. The nightmare. You also have this still look glazed over your eyes when you talk about Bainbridge or your parents. You've been shutting out the strong emotions you don't want to feel this whole time." He explains, digging his hands into his trouser pockets.

"No, I'm an emotional mess at the best of times" I sputter.

"You only let yourself feel those when you're around people your comfortable with. Even then, its the good emotions you let yourself feel" He says all this slowly, as if he's actually being careful with the way he's letting me digest this information.

"No" I state, pulling my hands up to my hair and dragging them from the mess of waves.

"I used to have migraines when I didn't know how to properly control my occulumency. My real....emotions...used to manifest in my dreams afterwards. Once I learnt from my Aunt how to master it properly, I was able to sleep easier and I haven't had a migraine since" he explained. He was awfully calm and it frustrated me.

"No, I feel negative emotions all the time" I say, trying to justify myself.

"Maybe when you're with...Zabini and maybe even your parents.."

"I'm always angry at my parents.." I tell him, still confused and frustrated.

"Yeah, you may get angry a lot. I mean I sure do, but you do know that anger is a secondary emotion right? We get angry to protect ourselves from vulnerable feelings. Anyway...I'm not talking about anger here. I don't think I've ever seen you get upset, anxious, scared in public..."

"You've seen me upset" I jab back.

"That's because for some odd reason you don't feel the need to use Occulumency around me" he explains, his cheeks suddenly growing pink.

I glance away from him, my thoughts now more jumbled than before.

"What are you feeling right now?" he prods, his voice soft.

I flick my eyes back at him and glare.

"Annoyed" I simply say.

"But why are you annoyed?" he asks.

"I dont know Malfoy!" I yell, throwing my hands in the air.

"You're scared" he states.

This time, I give him such an evil glare he steps backwards and throws his own hands up in defeat.

"Ok ok, look I'm just trying to get you to understand how occulumency works. You need to know how to master it if you don't want people shuffling around in your head without your permission" he mutters irritated.

"I can't deal with this right now, whats the time?" I impatiently ask.

He furrows his eyebrows but pulls out his wand and mutters a spell to light the clock on his bedside table.

"It's 1:30" he mutters.

"Fuck, I need to get to Charms" I mutter, brushing my blouse down and straighten my tie.

"I'll meet you tonight?" I ask, stopping next to him before I leave.

He nods, his face wary but serious.

Before I take a step to leave, his hand wraps around my wrist. He pulls me back towards his side and grabs my jaw with his hand.

"Don't tell anyone what were doing, not even Zabini" he mutters, his hot breath tickling my cheek.

Suddenly, I find all my flaming emotions wash away from the forefront of my brain, as if I'm locking them deep into a vault.

Instead I replace those feelings with new ones. Focusing on the way Draco's skin touches mine and makes my nerves tingle.

"I'll see you tonight Malfoy" I mutter confidently, leaving him with a smirk.


	56. Room of Requirement

**Aster's POV**

I was late.

I had an inkling that Draco didn't like it when people were late.

That very thought made me slow down.

I strolled leisurely up one of the hundred and forty-two staircases towards level six. This one was narrow and rickety and I had to remember to jump at the right time.

There was a reason why most students wore trainers.

I gracefully landed on level six and started to pick up the pace once I realised that I was very late.

Blaise had been determined to finish our charms assignment tonight and I couldn't leave him abruptly without telling him where I was going. He knew I was helping Draco but I didn't tell him when or where. That was more for his own protection that anything.

It was cold and silent in the hallways and after passing the empty transfiguration classrooms I was starting to feel odd chills running up my arms. I pulled my sweater over my palms and hurried my steps.

After passing a few empty portraits, a hand unexpectedly grabbed my wrist and pulled me into an empty alcove. Air rushed painfully out of my lunges as I was thrown into the cool stone wall.

"What the f-" I cried out, before Malfoy dropped my hand and placed his over my mouth.

"Shut up Flint. You're late" he hushed between clenched teeth. He had pushed me up against the wall and I could feel his body tense against mine.

He looked pissed off, his eyes were narrowed but there were heavy bags under his eyes.

I ignored him and instead pushed his hand off my mouth and looked around at the small alcove I had been pushed in.

"Does this remind you of anything?" I tease, giving him a smirk and running my eyes up and down his body.

His silver eyes narrowed again.

"Remember? When you fucked me with your fingers in that empty corridor?" I teased, fully aware I was trying to distract him from my lateness.

His eyes flashed at my words, but they quickly narrowed again.

"Are you always horny Flint?" he chided, pulling me away from the alcove and into the empty hallway.

"Only around you" I whispered, smiling to myself.

It was too easy to tease him.

He chuckled behind me. I twisted around and found him staring at a blank wall, his face impassive.

"What are you doing?" I laughed, pulling my sweater down over my fingers again.

Suddenly, an impressive large oak double breasted door appeared on the wall in front of him. My mouth gaped at the sight.

"What in merlins- ?" I cursed under my breath.

Draco pushed the doors open with ease and reached out to grab my arm to pull me in. I gasped as my arm felt like it was going to be pulled out of its socket.

"Fuck Malfoy, calm down" I said rubbing my shoulder before looking around.

The entire room was full to the bursting brim with knick knacks and broken things. I scrunched my brows at the sight. There was an odd lightness to the room and I searched for the source but couldn't find anything.

"What is this place?"

Draco started straight for the center of the room, passing between a pile of broken odd chairs and odd broomsticks. I quickly chase after him, annoyed at his inability to explain anything.

"Malfoy!" I yelled after him.

After a few complicated twists and turns, we stopped at a large narrow prism-shaped cabinet. It was fairly old and rusted at the hinges with black and gold trimmed the edges. It would have been quite beautiful if it didn't reek of dark magic.

"Is this it?" I asked him, as I traced the edges of the cabinet with my fingers.

"Yep. Now stop touching it, I wanted to try and few spells that I found at home in the library" he muttered angrily.

I stepped backwards and watched as he waved his wand around the cabinet, muttering a few spells I had never heard of. His white hair was pushed back and I noticed it had grown longer on the sides during the holiday. His pale eyes were focused and heavy as he concentrated, his lips pulled in a straight line. He looked quite handsome when he was focused, he looked older and more mature.

After he finished experimenting with his spells, he grabbed a green apple from his pocket and placed it inside the vanishing cabinet. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

He closed the cabinet again, muttered another spell and waited. I flicked my gaze from his face to the cabinet until he opened the doors again.

"Fuck!" he cried out angrily.

I peered inside the cabinet and found the apple still sitting where he placed it.

It didn't work.

"Well surely you didn't think it was going to be that easy?"

He flashed his eyes at me in annoyance.

"My dad has spent half his life studying protective spells. One time he spent five years just working on the theories behind the ancient protective spells at the Ministry" I explained, perching myself on a wonky armchair that had been shoved to one side.

I looped my legs around the arm and pulled my wand out.

"I forgot my notebook but I know enough about breaking protective spells to have a quick go. I don't think the basic spells will work.." I mumbled, sorting through my thoughts.

He stayed quiet, his eyes still watching the cabinet in front of us.

"The spells I normally use wont work on this, it reeks of dark magic"

"You normally use?" he asks, cocking one eyebrow.

"Yeah I've been breaking protective spells since I was 11" I explained, twirling my wand through my fingers.

He scoffed.

"What?" I retorted.

"You are so full of yourself" he mutters, his gaze still on the cabinet.

"Fuck off" I mutter.

"The only thing I'm good at is charms. I'm hopeless at everything else" I admit.

He scoffs again.

I glare at him until he looks at me.

His eyes are cold and serious.

"You are good at a lot of things Flint, aren't you like in the top three of most classes?" he asks.

I stare at him confused. Why would he know that?

"I mean yeah, but I'm not naturally good. I study pretty hard"

He raises his eyebrows at me and twists around again to face the cabinet.

I take this as an opportunity to stand up and start trying out the few spells I can remember at the top of my head. I start off with a few spells to gauge if the cabinet is protected by any spells I was familiar with but I only feel dark magic.

After 20 minutes of back and forth, I give up and slump myself down on the armchair.

"Thought you were helping me Flint" Draco piped up.

I swing my head to look at him. He had sat on the floor as I worked, his back against a lone chest of drawers. He looked exhausted, his eyes were squinting in the dim light where he was sitting.

"You look like shit" I mumbled, keeping my eyes locked on his.

He chuckled.

"Thanks"

"I mean, you look like you haven't slept in days" I explain awkwardly.

"I haven't" he quickly replies.

I raise my eyebrows at him surprised.

"How come?" I ask.

He shakes his head at me and goes back to staring at the cabinet.

I stare at his side profile, admiring the way his lips rest and the sharpness of his jaw.

"Stop staring at me" he grunts.

I smirk and turn my gaze back to the cabinet.

"What is this place anyway?" I ask.

"Room of requirement" he mutters uninterested.

"Room of what?"

"Its the Come and Go Room. Did you not hear about when Potter and his poor excuse of friends used it for their stupid little army last year?"

I stared at him confused.

"You seriously don't know?" he stared back.

"I'm not obsessed with Potter like you, I don't keep a subscription to the golden trio fan club" I mutter back.

He gives me a glare worthy of a trophy.

"This room appears when a person is in need of it. My father got told this cabinet was still here and I was walking by one day and the doors just appeared out of nowhere" he explains in a monotone voice.

"Ah' I say, letting the sound roll off my tongue.

"I'm not obsessed with Potter" Malfoy grumbles from my side.

I press my lips together to stop the laughter bursting to escape.

"You are a bit" I retort, flicking my eyes to him and then back to the cabinet.

"He's the enemy Flint, I keep an eye on him, its my job" he mutters angrily back.

"You think he's the enemy?"

He flicks his gaze to me and searches my face. I feel my cheeks grow hot.

"Well he is?"

I let this revelation sit in the back of my mind.

Potter wasn't a friend of mine but I wouldn't consider him and his group of friends enemies. Sure, he was blatantly many of the professors favourite and his incessant need to get into all sorts of trouble was incredibly annoying but the way Malfoy had always been so irritated by his very existence was weird and borderline obsessive.

"You truly believe all this crap about how purebloods should be in charge and muggle-borns shouldn't be allowed to practice magic?"

His eyes stare into mine but they have a soft gaze about them.

"Its not just about that" he finally says.

I narrow my eyes at him.

"But is is?" I press, annoyance slowly bubbling in my chest.

"He's an extremist and anyone that follows him is out of their mind insane" I add hastily.

His eyes waver and he pulls his gaze from mine.

"I'm way too tired for this conversation" he says his voice low.

"Fine." I snap impatiently. I much preferred angry Draco to this numb groaning git.

"Can we just not talk about that for like one second?" He groans.

"What's up with you tonight?" I prod, lowering myself down to the ground and sitting next to him.

"Nothing" he snaps, avoiding me.

I inspect his face, his brows are furrowed and his nostrils flare.

"Are you still annoyed about what happened earlier in your room?" I ask quietly, tucking my wand into my skirt pocket.

"No" he mutters angrily, "you're obviously feeling better though".

"Yeah Blaise and Nott were trying to finish the charms homework before I got here, it was pretty amusing watching them both trying to figure out the right way to move their wands for each cleaning spell," I chuckled remembering the way Nott, flicked his wand and doused Blaise is a bucket full of soapy water.

"Nott?" Malfoy asks, twisting round to face me.

"Yeah?" I stutter seeing Malfoys eyes narrow again.

"Why were you hanging out with Nott?" He presses, his tone cross.

"Um...I dunno him and Blaise are mates I suppose"

He faces back towards the cabinet but not before I see a flash of something I hadn't seen in a while.

"Are you jealous Malfoy?" I tease, watching his jaw clench.

I bite down a smile.

"Fuck off Flint why would I be jealous?" He taunts, but he doesn't face me.

So I decide to tease him further.

"So you wouldn't care if I got to know Nott a bit more?" I say, keeping my tone light and my voice teasing.

Dracos eyes quickly flashes to face mine, anger and jealousy flickering behind his small pupils.

"Why would I care? Notts a good looking bloke, go for it" he spits.

My lips tremble from the laughter that eventually spills from my mouth, his eyes dart to them and his mouth opens but he leaves it open and I watch as his eyes grow confused.

"Are you serious?" I laugh at the very notion of Draco truly believing I would see someone else, someone other than him.

He searches my eyes hotly but he doesn't say anything.

"It's hot when you're jealous" I say giving him a smirk.

He rolls his eyes in response but I quickly spy the corner of his lips turn up in amusement.

"Draco..." I whisper.

"I'm only seeing you, no one else and I don't plan to" I awkwardly admit.

His eyes soften but his lips clamp into a stern line.

"I don't want to push you into anything but it would be nice to know what we are" I say, my heart thumping in my rib cage.

We sit in silence, the air thick with an odd tension but it's not awkward. I know him well enough to know that he won't admit to anything real anytime soon. But I know we both know it's more than just a hook up now.

"I like you, can't that be enough?" He finally says, his voice breaking slightly.

I press my thigh against his, both of us staring at our outstretched legs. I take the opportunity to lean my head on his shoulder, enjoying the comforting smell of his cologne. His shoulder tense but after a few seconds I feel his muscles relax.

"I think you like me a lot more than that" I try to tease but my voice comes out wobbly.

"Yeah I do" he whispers back.

"I think I like you a lot more than that too" I murmur.


	57. The White Shirt

**Draco's POV**

The room of requirement was dreary, just looking at the distressed cabinet made me tired.

"Stay with me tonight?" I ask quietly.

"What do you mean?" Her voice was calm, casual.

"Come back with me to my room"

"Are you propositioning me Malfoy?" She picks her head up from my shoulder and turns her head, a proud smirk displayed on her face.

"I mean to just sleep" I grumble back, frowning slightly.

She tilts her head at me in question, her brown waves falling off her shoulder in a tumble.

"I like sleeping next to you and I haven't sleep well in a while" I admit grumpily.

She frowns mockingly, her nose crumpling up.

"I know of a way to help you sleep" she says, her tone low and slightly seductive. Or maybe that's just the way I perceived her voice? It made me wonder if everyone saw her the way I did.

The last few days trying to avoid her was torture. But it gave me a chance to watch her. She seemed a little off, or maybe it was just weird her not being joined at the hip with Bainbridge.

"Let's go, I'm too tired to try more spells tonight" i said gesturing to the cabinet. 

—

I made her go before me, I didn't want anyone catching us out past curfew together. The rumour mill would go crazy and I couldn't risk my father finding out who I spent my time with.

The common room was empty, it was nearly 10:30pm on a school night. Everyone should be tucked up in their little single beds in their shared dorm rooms.

Another plus with having my own room, no one noticed my comings and going's.

I opened the room to find Aster strumming my guitar, sitting on the edge of my bed. Her long hair was obstructing my view of her face.

"You finally returned my guitar?" I teased, strolling towards my chest of drawers while pulling my cuff links off my school shirt and ripping my tie off my neck.

"Will you play something for me?" Her voice is gentle but unsure.

I look around and find her peering up at me, her fingers mindlessly strumming, odd out of tune notes drifting around the room.

"It's late" I answer shortly.

Her eyes instantly drop from mine and I feel a tinge or regret. I hadn't played in a long time, I used to play every night when I was younger. But over the last year, just the thought of my fingers touching the cold cords made me nauseous.

I felt guilty feeling so light in times so dark.

It just didn't sit right in my stomach.

The only lightness I felt lately had been with Aster, but even then I felt heavy after she left me. It was why I had been reluctant to label us. If I was being really honest with myself, I was desperate to claim her, to let everyone know she was mine. If we were normal teenagers, I would have constantly kissed her in the crowded hallways, I would take her on actual dates, I would introduce her to my mum. But we weren't normal teenagers, we were a wizard and a witch stuck in the middle of a war. A war that I was very much apart of, and she wasn't.

I watched as she lifted the guitar off her lap and walked over to the corner to place it back into its stand. She looked at it for a while, a solemn expression in her eyes.

"Can I wear your shirt?" She asks, her eyes flickering to mine.

I rummaged around my chest of drawers and fished out a clean T-shirt.

"Can I wear your school shirt?" She asks timidly.

I raised my eyebrows at her confused.

"I want it to smell like you" she admits, turning her face away but not before I caught the pink blush returning to her cheeks.

My stomach flipped again.

I unbuttoned my school shirt.

"Here" I said, interrupting her thoughts as she stared at the window into the Black Lake. She flipped her attention back round, her eyes wide and her cheeks very much flushed as she pulled the shirt from me.

I pulled out a pair of tracksuit pants and a T-shirt from my chest of drawers for myself. And once I turned around I was caught off guard with the pleasant view of Aster getting undressed. She had undone her shirt blouse, a dark red laced bra on full display, her attention was to her socks, as she bent over and peeled them off, shoving them into her shoes.

"Fuck" I murmur.

She looks up at the sound of my voice, her green eyes full of innocence. Then she caught me staring at her breasts and smirked.

"You're acting like you've never seen me undress before" she chuckles, peeling the blouse off her shoulders.

I was still staring and she cocked an eyebrow at me.

"I mean its been a while" I mumbled.

"Its been like a week? She laughed lightly, and the sound made my stomach flip unexpectedly.

"That's a while for me..." I mumble beneath my breath, before pulling my own shirt off and replacing it with the white one in my hand.

This time when I looked up she was standing in my school shirt, her legs bare and her hair slightly tousled from pulling the shirt over her head.

She looked breathtakingly beautiful.

I had to tear my eyes away from her to slide my school trousers over my legs and pull my tracksuit pants on.

"Do your dorm mates not wonder where you are when you stay with me?" I ask, as I make my way to the bed. I spot her red bra tossed onto my desk above the rest of her clothes. My heart skips a beat.

"It's not like their all friendly towards me" she mumbles, her tone slightly cross, "They probably don't even realise I'm not there".

She stands awkwardly next to the bed, her fingers fiddling with her wand. I pluck it out of her hands and rest it on the bedside table. Pulling her warm hands into mine I lead her to the bed. I climb backwards until my back hits the headboard and aggressively pull her onto my lap, she yelps a little at the sudden forceful movement.

"Bainbridge realises" I mutter, watching as he eyes grow wide.

Aster pushes her hands against my chest.

"She doesn't care anymore" she replies angrily, her green eyes flashing with rage. Her fists curl up in my t-shirt and I watch as the fabric becomes wrinkled.

"I think its a lot more complicated than that" I mumble, enjoying the way her palms were pressed against my chest.

"When am I getting my Occulumency lessons?" She picks her palms up from my chest and trails a finger on my collar bones. The soft touch makes my skin prickle.

"Tomorrow. We need somewhere quiet so maybe we could use the library, where I took you last time?" I ask her, studying the freckles on her shoulders.

"Ok" She murmurs, before she leans down and presses a soft kiss against the place she was tickling with her fingers.

I closed my eyes and leave my hands on her hips, enjoying her nips and sucks as she makes her way up my neck and to my jaw. She unexpectedly bites my ear and I groan at the sudden action, my hips buckling up to hers.

Her chuckle snaps me out of my peaceful pleasure and I grip harshly onto her hips in response.

"So you want it rough tonight do you?" I smirk, watching as her green eyes grow darker.

She smiles back and continues to lick long stipes up my neck and round the back of my ear.

I slide my hands down her thighs and inch the edges of her underwear underwear the tshirt. I trace the edges until I reach her ass, squeezing her backside so she gasps. I tug her against my erection. She rolls her hips against mine in slow waves in response. She presses her chest to mine and I feel her nipples tighten underneath her shirt.

She drops her head to my shoulder, and moves her body against mine exactly how I want it. Every roll of her hips drags my cock against her clit, tearing sighs from her throat.

She grabs the edge of my T-shirt near my neck.

"Take this off"

I look up into her eyes and find them fiery with lust.

I sit up straighter and pull my T-shirt off, her hands fumble with mine as she helps me. Her fingers sink into my hair and she throws her head back as I latch my mouth onto her neck. I snake one hand up and underneath her shirt and fondle her breasts, using my fingers to tweak and roll her nipple until she whimpers. My favourite sound.

"Please touch me" she begs.

I groan at her words and I roll her over, still keeping her pressed against my body. She clutches at my shoulders and I press my mouth against hers, letting our kisses get deeper and more frustrated. I release my lips from hers and I trace my fingers underneath the band of her underwear and watch as her eyes flutter closed, her lips parting in a sigh.

I circle her entrance and drag my fingertips up her clit, keeping my strokes light and teasing as her thighs tense. I kiss her neck as she twists beneath me and start to suck bruises above her collar bone as I slowly work her clit.

"More" she breathes heavily her eyes staring into mine with desperation.

She whimpers and groans as my fingers slip easily between her wet folds. I feel her shudder beneath me, making my cock twinge in between us. I nuzzle into the crook of her neck as my index and middle finger sink into her core with no resistance. She chokes back a wail of pleasure as her inner walls clench hard around my fingers.

Her lids flutter as I angle my fingers inside her, hitting the spot that always pushed her over the edge. A throaty moan starts to sound, so I move my fingers faster, pretty certain Im going to find my own release just by the sounds emitting from her pretty mouth.

I slid my thumb across her clit and she arches forward, attempting to get more friction.

"Are you desperate for me Flint?" I purr, locking her eyes with mine.

She nods back, her green eyes now filled with the blacks of her pupils.

"Ride my hand then"

Her eyes roll into the back of her head and my body jerks at the sight.

She arches her back more and starts to move with my hand, my fingers arch inside of her. I grip her hip with my one hand to help her. As her body starts to tremble with the build up of her release, I pull her T-shirt back and find her breasts moving lusciously as she rode my fingers inside of her. I bent down and captured a nipple in my mouth, sucking on it so harshly Aster gasps and stills herself for a second. I crook my finger to a different spot and move slower, dragging out her orgasm I knew was crowning.

"Please" she begs her eyes wide and wet, a small tear escapes and makes its way down her cheek. I move to it, and kiss the tear away before locking my eyes with hers and moving my fingers faster, watching as her orgasm finally erupted. I stroke my thumb on her clit as her release ripples through her, earning more moans and eventually my name.

Once she recovers from the ripples of her orgasm, I slowly pull my fingers out of her and move them to my mouth, licking her wetness from them as I stare into her eyes. She wiggles underneath me and then she grabs the back of my head and latches her lips onto mine, her tongue delving desperately into my mouth. I moan into her kisses, my cock straining against my briefs and the top of her leg. She pulls away briefly and her hands wander down my torso and to the waistband of my briefs.

"Now didn't you say _you_ needed help sleeping?" She says, her eyes burning with lust.


	58. She's no Angel

**Aster's POV**

His pupils were blown and I could feel goosebumps rise on his stomach as I snaked my hand down to his briefs.

I roughly pushed him off me. Before he could protest, my hands delved into his briefs and I cupped his groin. I leaned on my side and watched as his eyes fluttered. I continued to stroke his length, collecting his pre cum at his tip and earning a deep coarse moan from him. The sound made my own skin erupt with goosebumps, causing me to clench my thighs in response.

"Fuck Ast" he moaned between gritted teeth as I tightened my hold around him and quickened my pace.

I watched as his eyes shut in pleasure, his lips part.

"Watch me" I hum, waiting for his eyes to open.

He flicks his eyes at me, his pupils still wide. He looks down at my hand stroking his cock, and I smile to myself when his mouth opens wide.

"Bloody hell" he murmurs, before hitting the back of his head on his pillow and groaning once more. I lean down to leave wet kisses on his shoulder, enjoying the hot skin against my lips. I continue to stroke him faster, using my other hand to reach over and cup his balls. He squirms underneath me, and I suck heavily on his neck, causing him to wriggle more. I lick the veins on his neck until I reach underneath his ear, biting on his lobe as I feel his cock pulse in my palm.

"Ast-" he moans, gripping my jaw unexpectedly and pulling me towards him. He looks at me with such intensity, I feel lost for a moment.

"Come for me" I whisper, breaking our eye contact and dipping my head to kiss him firmly on his mouth.

His cock twitches once more. I climb over him and slide down to get myself enough room to continue pumping him. I bring my other hand to his balls and stroke them until his body grows taut underneath me, his abs contracting.

His eyes shut close, and his mouth parts open as he comes. His release spills into my hands.

Before I know it, Draco murmurs a cleaning spell to vanish the mess from my hands and I flick my attention up to him. His eyes are dreamy but he has a proud smirk on his face.

"You're welcome" he murmurs.

I push my palms to his chest and chuckle.

"I should be saying that"

He smirks again, and I can't help but feel dizzy from his smile.

"You're so full of yourself" I roll my eyes at him.

He grips my forearms and pulls me towards his chest. I nestle my head into his neck and breath out slowly, enjoying his warmth and his comforting smell.

I listen to his breathing grow deeper as he succumbs to his slumber.

"You love me" he murmurs into my hair.

\---

I wake up pressed to his side, one of his arms is draped around my waist. I struggle to grab my wand on the side table but after a few attempts, I pick it up and check the time.

7:45am

Fuck.

I slowly try to peel Draco's arms from my waist, not wanting to wake him. He grumbles but he doesn't wake.

Picking myself up from his warm bed, I quickly and silently get changed into my school uniform from yesterday. I mutter a quick ironing charm, so my blouse doesn't look so rumpled. After fixing my curls into a messy bun in the mirror, I take a deep breath as I take in my appearance in the reflection.

Do I love him?

I stayed nestled in his neck for a good hour mulling over what he murmured before he feel asleep. That word just never seemed like it would be possible for me to experience.

A pair of arms snake their way across my waist. I watch him in the mirror as he presses his lips against my neck, his hair is all rumpled from his sleep and his eyes still seem droopy.

"Hey" he murmurs, his voice croaky. He smiles against my neck and I feel goosebumps wash over my skin.

"We should go, breakfast is nearly over"

He hums against my skin in response.

"Can I take my breakfast in bed?" he replies.

He looks up into the mirror, his classic smirk mirrored back. I roll my eyes and twist myself around, pressing my palms into his bare chest and looking up at him.

"No" I smile back, before pressing my lips to his and spinning out of his grasp.

"Can you have a look and check the coast is clear?" I ask him, tugging at a stray curl and tucking it in my bun.

He pulls a fresh school shirt from his wardrobe and pulls it over his arms, his shoulders flexing attractively and making me unconsciously gulp. I feel my cheeks heat as he slowly buttons the white material, his blonde hair hanging in drapes across his forehead.

I watch as he crosses the room and opens his door, peaking his head out he quickly closes it.

"Um, might need to wait for 5 minutes. The boys door is wide open and I can hear Nott talking to Zabini" he explains, running his hand through his hair and ruffling it so it sits right.

I lean against his desk and sigh.

"Let me go distract them" he mumbles. He quickly pulls on his school trousers and shoves his feet in his shoes.

He rushes towards the door but before he opens it again, I grip onto his shirt and pull him back. I pluck his tie from the desk chair and wrap it around his throat.

"You forgot something" I smirk, enjoying the way I had him between my legs. I loop his tie and pick my wand up to charm it into a knot.

"Perfect" I mumble, looking up to find his eyes warm.

"You definitely are" he mumbles, giving me a kiss on the corner of my lips and rushing towards the door.

I chuckle escapes my lips as I watch his rush out the door.

**\--**

I waited five minutes until I peaked my head out and found Draco standing idly in the boys doorway. I could hear him chatting to Nott, both of their voices grumbling.

After inching my way through the hallway and quickly running past the boys open doorway while holding my breath, I make my way to the girls dorm. Its empty when I arrive, and I take my time in collecting my books for the day.

It was my first time back in Potions class since the Christmas break, my first time in a class that Harper was supposed to sit next to me in.

I skipped breakfast. Instead I headed straight for Potions, hoping to get whatever mess Harper was going to spill, over and done with. The castle was still icy cold and I pulled my robes closer around myself, I instinctively felt my thoughts close. The desperate need to push all the gut-wrenching emotions swirling in my thoughts to the dark side of my brain, the side that apparently I was using for Occlumency.

It made sense, that I had been shoving all negative thoughts and feelings into this dark corner in my brain. My parents never taught me how to process those dark emotions, they weren't those kind of parents. I had seen my mother sad and angry more than my father, but even then, she heavily relied on my father to sort her emotions.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a clash from the stool next to me. Harper had arrived and pulled her stool over towards the table next to us. She sat next to Montague without a spare glance at me.

I didn't notice Draco when he walked in, I had let my thoughts about Harper funnel into a drawer in my brain. It made my eyes blurry and my attention hazy.

Professor Slughorn's voice echoed in my ears.

"Miss Flint, you worked well with Mr Malfoy last time. I think it would be good to see you partnered together for this assignment" his monotone voice registered in my brain but the concept didn't.

"Flint" Draco's voice cut through my daze and I flicked my eyes to him. He was sitting where Harper used to sit, his eyes were narrowed and his fists balled resting on his notebook in front of him.

"What?" I snapped back.

"What's wrong with you?" He retorted, his brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Nothing" I mumbled, busying myself with my own notes.

"We're partners for the assignment, did you hear Professor Slughorn?" He whispered, his voice sharp.

"What?"

"Wake up Flint"

I shake my head and force the haze to focus.

I find Draco looking at me intently. We stare at each other for a few seconds before Goyle's cough brings us back to the classroom.

Dracos eyes glare at Goyle's from across the table and I find Goyle looking between the two of us a bemused expression on his face.

"You two would make a hot couple, have you guys ever hooked up?" A gruff voice spoke up from behind us. I swivel around in my stool and find Montague looking between Draco and I, a mischievous glint in his eyes. My eyes find Harper to his left, she's watching Montague, her face is blank.

"Fuck off Montague" Draco spits lazily, turning back around to ignore him.

Montague stretches over and puts his hand on Draco's shoulder, Draco freezes but doesn't turn around.

"She bad enough for you though Malfoy? Can she handle it?" He taunts, his devious eyes flick to me.

"In that case Montague, the question would be _could he handle me?_ " I retort, cocking my eyebrow at him and daring him to respond.

He seems taken back by my reply and I watch as his eyes flash between shock and humour. After a few seconds he lets out a heavy laugh and slaps Harpers knee beside him, making her flinch aggressively.

"You should have brought this one along with you Bainbridge" I hear him murmur into her ear.


	59. Liars

**Draco's POV**

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

She was ignoring me. He head bowed over her textbook, her dark hair hanging in curtains around her face so I couldn't see her reaction.

"Aster...Flint...Merlin if I knew your middle name I would say it...stop ignoring me." I was livid. She knew baiting Montague was dangerous.

There was a few tense seconds.

"It's Bella" she murmured.

Of course it was.

Beautiful was her middle name.

I ignored the butterflies now swirling in my stomach.

"Don't encourage them to notice you. You don't want them to dig their dirty claws in" I whispered, the anger rolling off my tongue.

She instantly twists her head to face me, her green eyes furious.

"Don't tell me what I want, Malfoy" she spits.

We both glare at each other.

A slap on my shoulder knocks me from my attention.

"Party tonight in the common room Malfoy" Goyle grunted, his eyes flitting back and forth between Aster and I.

"What for?" I grumble back. The last thing I need is a party.

"End of our first week back, we always have one" he smirked, before heading back to his side of the table and sitting back next to Crabbe.

He glanced at me quickly before flicking his eyes towards Aster.

"Bring her" he mouths silently.

I roll my eyes at him.

I specifically told her to not draw attention to herself and what does she do? She goes and baits Montague of all people. We both heard what he said to Bainbridge after. He was talking about how she should have brought Aster with her to the dark lord.

Just the very thought of Aster and _him_ being in the same room made my blood turn to ice.

"We should figure out what days we want to work on the assignment" Aster spoke, her tone was causal. She was still looking at her textbook but her hair had been tuck behind her ear. Her skin looked awfully pale.

"Uh yeah"

"How about Thursday afternoons after classes? Where do you want to meet?"

I was still staring at her. She still didn't look up.

"Library. Where I...took you last time" I whisper, I look down at my own textbook and shuffle in my seat.

This time I feel her stare.

I look up to find her eyes softly looking at my fingers on the textbook.

"Ok" she murmurs before ripping her eyes away and standing up.

"Let's start the first potion and then we can use that as our first point of reference next week" she rattles on.

I sit up straighter and nod.

—-

It's the first Friday night of the term. The Slytherin common room is already full, a loud bass thrumming through the large space from the gramophone in the corner. Someone's stocked the large coffee table with spiked drinks and snacks.

I grab a goblet and fill it with a bewitched bottle of fire whiskey disguised as pumpkin juice. I would have preferred a short glass but goblet's were less inconspicuous.

I return to my place and lean against the fireplace, switching my attention back to Crabbe and Goyle.

"Looks like Montagues got his eye on Bainbridge now, surprised he didn't latch onto her earlier" Goyle chuckles, nodding over to Bainbridge who was currently sitting on Montagues lap on the other side of the room.

"They're both as bad as each other" I grumble, removing my eyes from the sore sight.

Crabbe nods enthusiastically, a dumb look on his face.

"I always thought Montague would end up with Flint, she seems more his type..." Crabbe butts in. I give him a glare and I hear Goyle choke slightly on his drink. Crabbe's eyes widen and I watch as he panics. "I mean not really they're both half bloods, I was surprised he even showed Bainbridge a second of attention" he stumbles on his words as he rattles on.

"Fuck sake Crabbe I think blood status is the least of our worries at the moment" Goyle responds.

"Oh right yeah..." his eyes look around the room, "so like we can talk to half bloods now?" He dumbly asks.

I roll my eyes at his ignorance.

Goyle laughs and hits Crabbe around the head.

"Hey!" Crabbe yells out.

"You can talk to whoever the fuck you want Crabbe" I mumble, before taking another sip on my drink.

"I never can keep up with everyone's fucking rules" he grumbles under his breath before rubbing his head and walking away.

"You should go talk to Flint, she looks in need of company" Goyle says, his eyes lighting up with amusement.

"Fuck off, I can't be seen talking to her" I retort. I don't dare search the room for her.

"What? You just told Crabbe we can talk to whoever, does that not apply to you?"

I narrow my eyes at him.

"I can't talk to her in front of these idiots..."

I feel his stare at my face, but I ignore him and drink more.

"I assume she knows...about your.." he points to his forearm.

"Yes"

"And she's not in on everything right? I haven't seen her dad at any of the meetings" he concludes.

"No she's not and I would like it to stay that way"

"Huh" Goyle tuts.

I narrow my eyes at him again.

"You want to protect her" he prods.

I grip the goblet in my hand tighter and turn my gaze elsewhere.

"This is the real thing for you isn't it?" His tone is softer, more sympathetic.

It makes my blood boil.

"Fuck off Goyle" is the only reply I can come up with.

"Are you still seeing her?"

I look into my goblet and focus on the golden liquid swirling around.

"Maybe you shouldn't see her" Goyle interrupts.

I look over and find Goyle staring at Bulstrode. His eyes soften as the girl flicks her thick black hair over her shoulder and laughs at something Pansy says.

"Did you break up with Millie?" I ask him.

"Yep but she knows why. She said she'll wait for me"

I scoff at this.

He turns his gaze back at me, daggers shooting from his eyes.

"You really think everything will be normal when he's in charge? You think he will let you be with her?" I laugh at his naivety.

"She's a pure blood, I can be with her if I want" he snaps back.

"If she survives this war.." I mumble and down the rest of my drink, letting the drink burn the back of my throat.

**Aster's POV**

The first thing I see is Harper lounging on Montague's lap. I instantly, pull Blaise away from the sight and push him towards the other side of the room, careful to keep his eyes elsewhere.

I wonder what happened to Fred?

Looks like she's moved on.

Blaise grumbles a bit but before he twists around, I grab a goblet and fill it with fire whisky. The hot spiced smell instantly reminds me of Draco.

"Here, drink" I urge, shoving the goblet in his hands. He raises an eyebrow at me but brings the goblet to his lips anyway.

"We both need to relax" I explain, grabbing a goblet for myself and filling it with a bewitched bottle of red current rum.

I sip on the smooth sweet liquid while nudging Blaise towards a couch opposite the fireplace. Malfoy stands tall against the stone wall talking to Goyle, Goyle looks up, his wide eyes spotting me nd I watch as he mentions something that makes Malfoy go stiff.

The leather couch is occupied, Nott sits in the middle and on his left sits a fifth year I don't know the name of. I shove Blaise in the last empty spot next to Nott and perch myself on the armrest instead.

"Hey Zabini, Flint" Nott greets us with a short nod and a broad smile.

I nod back before gulping down half of my drink.

"What happened to Bainbridge?" Nott asks Blaise. I watch as Blaise's eyes flicker around the room. He can't see Harper from where he's sitting.

"She wants nothing to do with us anymore" I answer for him, bringing the cool goblet up to my lips again.

Nott's eyebrows crinkle. He had adopted a nice tan while he was away, it made his blue eyes stand out more.

"What happened?" he asked sincerely. It was odd speaking to Nott in this way, I had never had much to do with him but I suppose Blaise did.

"Dunno," I reply, giving him a shrug.

His eyebrows raise up and before he can question me again he looks over at Blaise and finds Blaise looking slightly ill.

Nott looks up at me from where he's sitting and gives me a questioning look, I look back at him sympathetically, trying to convey the sensitive topic that this was to Blaise. He seemed to understand and moved the conversation on to a new band he had seen while he was away.

I let myself listen to the conversation, laughing at the way Nott was telling his stories and letting Blaise fill more of my goblet up with rum. I was starting to feel the alcohol thrum through my veins, I let my body relax against the leather of the couch.

Suddenly, Malfoy dropped himself into the empty seat next to Nott, the fifth year had left only minutes ago. He draped one hand on the back of the couch and continued his conversation with Goyle who had now set himself up in the wingback armchair next to him. I tried to train my eyes on Blaise and Nott but they kept flickering towards Draco, he looked more relaxed then usual, his pale cheeks with flushed. He lifted his goblet up to his lips and I watched mesmerized as he licked his lips after his sip.

"Aster"

I switched my attention to the person saying my name.

Blaise stared back at me, an amused glint in his eyes.

"You alright?" he asks, teasing me.

"I'm perfect" I smirk back, bringing my arm to the back of the couch and resting in behind Blaise's head.

"Move" a shrill voice demanded behind me.

I flicked my head towards the whiney voice and found Pansy staring at me.

"What?" I cough, spilling my drink on my skirt.

"I want to sit here, move" she demands, her hands on her hips.

"I'm sitting here" I explain, giving her an incredulous look.

"Shuffle over, you can fit on the couch" she explains, giving me a devilish grin.

The rum was making me sleepy and I didn't have it in me to fight so I slipped off the arm of the chair and stood up.

"There's absolutely no more room on the couch" I complain, giving Pansy an evil eye.

"Sit on someone's lap" she shrugs, taking up my spot on the armchair and leaning over to speak to Blaise.

That's what she wanted.

I rolled my eyes as I watch her flirt with Blaise, Blaise completely oblivious to the incessant flirting happening right in front of him. Instead he replies politely to Pansy, while he swirls the liquid in his goblet.

I look around for a new place to sit but find none.

"You can sit on my lap" Nott speaks up, his tone friendly and his eyes sparkling.

My stomach flips.

"Um-" I start, before I see Draco twitch uncomfortably in his seat. I walk awkwardly towards Nott, stepping over a lone goblet on the floor but before I can turn around and sit myself on Nott's knee, a hand grabs my wrist and pulls me to the side.

"Just sit here" a grunt says as I find myself sitting on Draco's lap. He sits me on his leg nearest to the armchair but faces me inwards and towards Nott and Blaise, he leans back and I find him trying to look casual, an annoyed expression on his face.

Goyle chuckles and I feel my cheeks grow hot.

"Didn't know you were friends" Nott smirks at us both.

I wriggle awkwardly, trying to make the way I was sitting on Draco not look so intimate.

"Stop moving" he grunts behind me.

I look up and find Draco staring across me and at Goyle. I flick my attention back to Blaise, he was still talking to Pansy but his eyes kept finding mine. He cocked one eyebrow at me and I scowled back.

"We're not friends" I gruffly say to Nott.

Nott looks at me amused, his eyes twinkling.

"In that case, you free on Sunday? Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?" He asks, a slight blush appearing on the tips of his cheeks.

I feel Draco still beneath me, and I watch his grip tighten on his goblet that he was resting in front of my leg.

"Um- "

Before I get a chance to answer, Blaise interrupts.

"You're asking Aster Flint on a date? Mate she doesn't do dates" Blaise chuckles. Pansy was now chatting to Millie standing next to her, but her hand was resting on Blaise's shoulder protectively.

"I thought I could be an exception" Nott smoothly replies.

I laugh awkwardly but stop abruptly when Draco's leg moves underneath me. He shifts slightly and I have to grab onto his shoulder to stop myself from toppling over.

"Sorry" I mumble before tearing my hand away from his shoulder.

"Just stop moving" he grumbles back.

"I would if you would stop moving. You told me to sit here" I spit back.

He looks back at my angrily, fire in his eyes.

"Oh" Nott interrupts.

I flick my attention back to him and find him staring at Draco and myself, his eyes narrowing in understanding.

"You guys are hooking up" he nods, as if his brain was finally putting together a complex puzzle.

"No-" we both answer quickly.

Fuck.

Nott looks at us with a smirk and a twinkle in his eyes.

"Liars" he smiles.


	60. A Hogsmeade 'date'

**Aster's POV**

After Nott's attempt to out Draco and I, I removed myself from Draco's lap and hurriedly agreed to go to Hogsmeade with him. I avoided Draco and Blaise's eyes as I agreed and then awkwardly, I dismissed myself from the party and went to bed.

If Draco so badly wanted to keep us a secret, he gave me no choice but to pretend to be interested in other people.

The only rule I had with Nott was that our trip to Hogsmeade was not classified as a date. Just like Blaise firmly stated, Aster Flint does not date.

The next day was spent holed up in the stuffy library with Blaise. We already had multiple assignments to work on, and I wasn't going to get behind in my schoolwork just because I had told Malfoy I would help him with his task from the Dark Lord.

I didn't see Malfoy all day. I was slightly glad. I didn't want to suffer the backlash of what happened with Nott. I knew Malfoy got jealous and protective, and I just didn't have the energy to fight with him about it.

Blaise was however, quiet interested in the semantics of this 'date' with Nott.

"So you actually like Theo?" he asked that Saturday night as we sat in our usual spot in the common room.

"No" I shortly replied.

"But you're going on a date with him?"

"I am not going on a date with him, I'm just going to accompany him to Hogsmeade" I explained tiredly.

"It's still a date"

I gripped my wand between my fingers and sighed.

"If I pretend to see Nott, people won't think twice about Draco and I" I whispered.

Blaise nodded slowly but hesitantly.

"So you're dating Draco?" He asked, a slight hint of humour in his voice.

"For fuck sake Blaise" I slouched back into the chair I was sitting on and sighed loudly.

"That's a yes?" he prodded, his dark eyes twinkling.

"I don't know" I shuffle awkwardly in my chair and fiddle with my wand in my hand.

"How do you not know?" he asks, flipping his book closed and placing it on the table in front of him.

"He doesn't want to label it yet"

"But you've been hooking up for months now, a lot longer than you usually go for..." I shoot him a deadly stare at this observation, "and he gave you that necklace. You don't do that for hook ups" he explains, his eyes growing rather cross.

"How would you know what hook ups do" I spit back.

"I hook up...with people" he stammers, his eyes still narrowed at me. There's a thoughtful silence as I search his face for an explanation.

"Who?" I press, now suddenly curious.

"No one here" he says before turning his back on me and bending down to tie his shoe.

"Why don't you ever talk about this stuff with me?"

He pulls himself back up and fiddles with his tie, pulling it back and forth.

"You had Harper to talk about this sort of stuff with"

"Doesn't mean you can't talk to me about it" I explain.

"It was just a muggle girl at home, nothing to brag about. I was...just trying to forget...about Harper" he explains, his eyes darting to his fingers wrapped around his tie.

"You haven't let yourself date other people just because of Harper?" I ask quietly.

He looks up at this, his eyes soft and sad.

"It's always been Harper" he explains.

"I'm sorry Blaise" I say, offering him my hand. He takes it and I give it a squeeze.

"Wait I'm getting confused Flint, do you flirt with all the boys in Slytherin?" Nott interrupts. He stands tall next to us, his eyes focusing on our clasped hands.

I slip my hand out of Blaise's and roll my eyes at Nott.

"Just because I talk to boys doesn't mean I'm flirting with them" I explain, a tiredness to my voice that wasn't there before.

"I was kidding" he explains. And he was, his eyes were soft and he had this sort of relaxed aura around him. He never seemed bitter or angry, he was always just teasing. The complete opposite to Draco.

"You ready for our date tomorrow?" he asks, a twinkle to his blue eyes.

I roll my eyes again.

"It's not a date" I sing-song.

Blaise chuckles.

"C'mon Flint, I know you secretly like me" he flirts, giving me a charming grin.

"You caught me! I've been secretly in love with you for years" I act out, clutching my chest with my hands and fake swooning.

His laugh is light and loud, and it makes my heart jump in my rib cage. Its the type of laugh, that you can't help but laugh with.

"Call me Aster" I tell him.

"Call me Theo then" he winks back.

"Fine" I smile down at my lap, and continue to play with my wand in my fingers.

Theo pulls up a chair and sits in the middle of Blaise and I, he flips his feet up on to the table and leans back, the chair slightly tilting.

"Are you sure you're not dating Malfoy? I would rather avoid that catastrophe" he starts.

My whole body tightens at the sound of his name.

"I am not dating anyone" I explain.

"Good" he smiles at me, mischief twinkling in his eyes.

"You're relentless" I mumble.

He laughs.  
  
  


**Draco's POV**

Watching her with Nott made my blood boil. There he was obnoxiously flirting with her, making her laugh and all I could do was watch.

I spent the whole day working on the cabinet, with no progress. I was starting to think I really did need Aster's help.

It was Sunday when Crabbe and Goyle pulled me along to Hogsmeade with them. I wasn't keen on going but a small part of me wanted to keep an eye on Aster and her 'date'. We told each other we would only see one another and no one else but with the way Nott nearly saw straight through Aster and I, I couldn't blame her for saying yes. No matter how much I wanted to be the one to hold her hand in Hogsmeade, I couldn't. My very name put a huge target on her back.

From what I had gathered from Goyle, Nott wasn't a Death Eater. Nor was his parents. Apparently they had fled the UK when the dark lord was rounding up his followers. No one knew why they came back but there was rumours they were on neutral ground.

I was slightly apprehensive about Nott. We were never close growing up but he was a pureblooded Slytherin so he had always been invited to our parties.

We had just ordered another round of butterbeers when I noticed Zabini stroll through the doors of The Three Broomsticks. He sat down at a table just behind us. I wasn't sure if he had noticed us yet but he didn't give any attention to us three sitting behind him. I listened astutely as he ordered three butterbeers and my blood turned cold.

As I thought, Nott and Aster strolled in just a few minutes after. She was bundled up in the same teal coat she wore last time I saw her in Hogsmeade, her dark hair was pushed down by a Slytherin beanie and she rubbed her hands together as she walked in, smiling at Nott. Instantly I pushed up my mental barriers and bared all feelings away with Occlumency.

Our eyes met briefly as she walked past, Nott giving us a small nod and smile in acknowledgement. But with Aster, I clocked onto the very moment she also switched on her Occlumency. Her eyes glazed over and she looked forward with an icy expression. I knew her too well now to notice those subtle differences. I wondered if Zabini noticed too.

"Did you guys enjoy your date?" Blaise greeted them.

"It wasn't a date" I heard Aster reply, there was a sharpness to her tone but it didn't sound quite right.

Nott laughed and I had to clench my fist around the butterbeer I was holding. I tried to listen to Crabbe and Goyle talk about Quidditch and the new broom that was about to be released but with my Occlumency taking up most of my mental capacity it was starting to prove difficult. I really needed to practice more.

"You held my hand, I would call that a date" I heard Nott say.

I felt my blood turn cold but I pushed against the barrier in my mind, desperate for that seeping jealously to stay put.

I heard Aster cough from behind me before hearing Blaise slap her on the back.

"You grabbed it" she choked out.

Nott laughed again.

"Alright, lets go" I finally said, watching Crabbe and Goyle's eyes go wide in shock.

"What? Mate we just ordered another round?" Goyle argued.

"Well I'm leaving" I stated, shoving my glass away from me and standing up.

"Malfoy, you leaving already" Notts voice echoed behind me.

I looked around to find all three of them looking at me, I trained my eyes to look at Nott.

"Yeah gotta go" I mumbled back.

"Well then, Crabbe, Goyle would you like to join us" he smoothly asked, looking at the two I was just about to leave. Goyle looked nonplussed but Crabbe's eyes were wide with confusion, he looked between Nott and I his eyes asking for confirmation on what to do.

"Are we allowed to mix with the half bloods now?" Crabbe whispered to Goyle.

Fuck, he was dumb.

Goyle rolled his eyes and answer for the both of them.

"Sure thing Nott, we'll come join you" Goyle says, picking himself up from his chair and walking over to their table.

Before my eyes drift to Aster, I brush down my coat and announce my departure.

"Have fun" I grumble before nodding at Nott and leaving the group of them.

—-

It wasn't until the following Wednesday that I spoke to Aster. I wasn't exactly avoiding her but I just couldn't bring myself to approach her or seek her out. I spent every night in the Room of Requirement working on the cabinet and she had yet been by to help. 

Nott would occasionally try to bring me into their conversation at meal times if I had to sit near the three of them but even then she would avoid my gaze and act unbothered.

However on Wednesday, we had double potions and with our big assignment, there was no avoiding each other.

"We need to chose our second potion to write about" she said, breaking the awful silence around us.

"I was thinking Amortentia" I said scanning the book for the chapter.

"Why?" She snapped.

I looked up and found her frowning at me. It was the first time I had let myself look at her since Sunday, and it made my heart race.

"Because Professor Slughorn said we need to pick a potion that involves altering a persons perception of another?"

Her eyes flickered.

"Right, of course" she murmured, looking back at her notes.

I watched as her eyebrows furrowed at her notes, her hand was clenched around her quill and she was tapping blotches of dark ink absentmindedly on her parchment. 

"What?" I pressed her, thoroughly confused with her reaction. 

She looked up at me, her eyes piercing into mine. I stared back.

"Do you not remember what happened when we learnt about Amortentia?" she asked, her eyes searching my face making my cheeks grow hot. 

My mind flashed back to Aster announcing to the whole class what she smelt. 

_Peppermint and green apples._


	61. In the stacks

**Aster's POV**

"Ok we need to start the report for Amortentia. How about we start with the etymology?"

I grabbed my notes and shuffled them out in front of me, determined to get started on the Potions assignment. I still refused to look up at Draco but I could see in my peripheral that he was settling into the chair next to me.

Ironically, all I could think about what the sour scent of green apples wafting from my left.

"Well that's easy" He scoffs next to me.

I look up and find his eyes twinkling. I cock my eyebrow at him.

"Amor is a Roman god of love and tentia is Latin for held" Draco states, leaning into the back of his chair and crossing his arms in front of him, a cocky expression plastered on his face.

"Ok well then you write that part" I mumble, annoyed at his blatant arrogance. I look back at my notes and try to focus on the words in front of me.

"Already have"

I swivel around in my chair to properly face him. He cocks one eyebrow at me, his usual smirk accompanying it. 

"Would you like to just write this assignment yourself?" I spit. I stand up from my chair and walk towards the library stacks, determined to get my mind off the his intoxicating smell and his arrogance. 

I tried to focus on the titles in the stacks, skimming the books for something related to Amortentia. I let my fingers brush against the leather-bound books.

"Did you have a nice time on your date with Nott?"

I jumped at his voice, twisting around and pushing my back against the bookshelf. He towered over me, his presence slightly domineering and intimidating. The stacks I had wandered down were narrow, he leant on the opposite bookshelf but with how close he still was I couldn't escape his gaze.

"It wasn't a date" I grunted, crossing my arms in front of me.

"Sounds like it was" he mumbled. His eyes were impassive but his jaw was clenched.

"I told him it wasn't a date" I reaffirmed.

His pale eyes searched my face.

"I actually told him I was seeing someone...a muggle. Which is why I didn't want everyone at school to know" I explained, my words tumbling out of my mouth in a nervous bundle.

His eyebrow's shoot up in amusement and I sigh at his reaction.

"A muggle?" he scoffs.

"I'm just trying to make sure no one knows about...us". I couldn't help but feel a bit morose about it all, the fact I had to lie to so many people about the one thing that made me feel so at ease and happy.

Something between us shifted and we both stood leaning against the stacks, melancholic at our situation.

"If things were different..." he started, his eyes focused on his feet, "you would be mine and everyone would know" he mumbled.

My heart stilled.

I waited until he looked up and found his eyes soft, nerves present behind his silver gaze.

A thumping resumed in my chest.

"Things aren't different though are they?" I angrily retorted.

I wasn't angry at him, I was angry at the situation and I hoped he knew that.

Draco ignored my comment and instead he picked himself off the shelf he was leaving on and took one step towards me.

"I heard you held his hand" he said through gritted teeth. The tension around us had snapped, a fury rippled between that made me apprehensive.

"He grabbed it" I sputtered.

"You could have let go"

I watched as his eyes fell to my lips.

"I didn't mind it to be honest" I heard myself say.

His eyes snapped to mine. He was livid.

He brought his hand to my chin and tipped my face upwards. His other hand was now leaning against the book case behind me, locking me into his body. His gaze was fierce and I felt goosebumps erupt under my jumper.

"I don't want you holding anyone's hand" he muttered.

"No?"

He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Only mine"

As the last word left his mouth his had already descending upon mine.

With a growl, Draco pressed closer , hips pinning me in place as he deepens the kiss. His teeth scrapped against my bottom lip, a gasp that was equal parts pain and pleasure slipping out. His tongue soothed the sting before sliding between my lips and tracing the roof of my mouth. I couldn't help but shiver, arching my back and hitting the sharp edges of the bookcase behind me.

His hand slid down my arms and rested briefly on my waist before his fingers flirted with the hem of my skirt, sliding beneath the fabric.

"Not here" I gasped into his lips, wiggling slightly against his body.

"No one comes around here Flint, we're fine" he murmurs before his warm palm trails up the inside of my thigh, hooking his fingers around my underwear and tugging them to one side. The air was cool against my bare skin, but it was Draco's touch, two fingers parting and slipping inside of me that made me gasp against his mouth.

He drew back, enough to speak, the words rumble against my lips.

"You're mine"

I panted against his mouth, not able to even think of a response as his fingers moved and curled inside of me.

My hips started to buck towards him, my body totally submitting to his touch.

Suddenly, his fingers were gone.

My eyes flicked up, his lips twitched, not quite a full smirk, a shadow of one. He lifted his fingers to my mouth, brushing his fingers against my lips. His eyes darkened.

"Taste"

Without dropping his stare, I parted my lips, tongue sliding between his fingers, curling around his knuckle, tasting myself.

Draco hummed softly, pressing himself closer, his cock hard on my stomach.

"Good girl"

My chest loosened a little, just enough to suck in a ragged breath, before biting down softly on the top of his finger, lids fluttering at the praise.

And then his warmth was gone.

He stepped back and leant against the bookshelf opposite, his eyes scanning me in appreciation.

"We have an assignment to do Flint" he smirked fully this time, his grey eyes sparkling.

My whole body was sharp with arousal, being on the brink of an orgasm was making my stomach coil that was unequivocally painful but I wasn't going to let him know that.

Instead with as much effort as I could pull, I pushed myself off the bookcase and walked back towards our desk.

—

We finished one part of the assignment in quick haste. Draco was adamant for us to spend more time on the cabinet as well as the extensive task of teaching me the art of occlumency.

He had shifted awkwardly in his seat for the first ten minutes once we got back to our desk and I had to really focus my eyes on my work and not on his lap. I knew he had worked himself up with the little stunt he just pulled.

We met in the room of requirement after I made a show of going to bed to my dorm mates. I had pulled my curtains around my bed and once I heard the others do the same I silently left and made my way to see Draco.

This time I brought my notes.

"Did you try anything else since last time?" I asked him, scanning the cabinet once more with my wand.

He was standing behind me. He had changed into his grey tracksuit pants and had put on a hoodie. I had to stop myself from drooling once I caught sight of him looking so casual. It was oddly comforting seeing him so improper.

"I've been here every night since and have had no luck" he grunted rather apprehensively.

I knew he wasn't used to things not going his way, it didn't surprise me that he hasn't relented all week.

"Have you even slept?" I asked, flicking my gaze quickly to his and examining the dark circles under his eyes.

"Don't have time to sleep"

I narrow my eyes but don't comment. I wasn't going to be his mother and tell him off.

I started examining the cabinet with one of the first spells I had written down amongst my research. If my first theory was correct, the process was going to be long and strenuous.

"Here, hold this why I try the first part" I tell him, throwing my notebook at him behind me.

He catches it easily and flicks through it casually.

"What's this?" He murmurs, holding one page up.

It was one of the many pages that I had written a poem on. Not really a poem, more just words that sort of forced their way out of my brain and onto paper.

I tried to not feel embarrassed.

"Nothing" I muttered, ignoring his odd stare and trying to focus on remembering the wand movements associated with the first spell.

"Did you write these yourself?" He asked.

"Yep" I popped the p casually, trying to sound nonchalant.

I heard the pages flip.

"It says you need to move your want twice counterclockwise and then trace the letter Z." He said clearly from behind.

I copied the movements until a orange hue emanating from the cabinet. It had taken a good 40 minutes and my arm was starting to ache.

"That's only part one of part one" I mumbled.

I finally looked back to find Draco's nose stuck in my notebook. He had transfigured an old two seater couch to a large plush three seater.

"Are you reading my research or my private thoughts?" I teased him, hoping to catch him off guard and embarrassed.

He peered up and set the notebook aside.

"Your research" he stated before pushing himself of the couch and towards the cabinet.

"Relax, let me do the next part it sounds taxing" he mumbles, nodding toward the couch.

"I'm very capable of doing it myself" I retorted, gripping my wand harder and turning to face the cabinet again.

"Oh I know. Aster Flint is capable of the impossible." He mocks. I narrow my eyes at him but he continues, "but I need you to practice your occlumency while I do the next part."

He brings his wand up and starts to mutter the first incantation before waving his wand up and down.

"Sit down and try to relax your mind. I need you to be able to understand when you're using occlumency first. I know you know how to do it, it's just the act of learning to control it that you need to learn now" he explains, his eyebrows furrowing as he steps around the cabinet, his wand still waving up and down.

I sat down on the edge of the couch and watched him. From where I was sitting I was getting a good view of his back and I suddenly wished for that hoodie to come off.

"Stop ogling me Flint and focus" he said, his gaze still focused on the cabinet in front of him. 

I groaned but obeyed. 

I tried to search for the grey space in my brain in which I retreated to when thoughts and feelings got too much. It was an easy path to find, something that immediately struck me as wrong. I had obviously been doing this for a long time. Retreating to the grey space in my head that meant I didn't have to feel too hard and too much. 

I tried not to close my eyes, and instead I focused on Draco's wand movements. 

"Stay aware and present. I've been watching you and it looks like you go to deep" he mutters. 

"You've been watching me?" is all I can say. 

I hear a grunt but he doesn't stop what he's doing. 

"Just don't sink too far down, you want to be able to know that you're shutting off your mind. Don't use it purely to shove your feelings down, all we want is for your mind to be shut off from others not yourself" he explains. 

I pondered this. 

I wasn't sure if I wanted to just use it for that purpose, I quite liked the idea of shoving my feelings aside when they got too much. 

"Next time, I'll try and enter your head. We need to learn what to do and how it feels when someone uses Legilimency.

"Does he use it often?" I ask, my skin prickled at the thought of the dark lord slithering into my head. 

"Sometimes he tries to do it without you noticing, but not often no" he grunts. 

I breathed deeply and tried to edge my thoughts on the border of the grey space in my head. I pictured a wall coming up and started to separate my memories and thoughts onto one side but I kept my feelings and my presence on the other. I had no idea if it was working, all I was getting was a headache. 

It was a bit like meditating. 

Before I knew it, Draco had finished the next step and was joining me on the sofa. I had pulled my legs up and crossed them in front of me as I practiced. His knee suddenly touched my knee and I felt myself rush back to all my senses. It was like an bolt of energy had rushed through my body after just one slight touch from him. 

I flinched. 

"What?" He asked, his tone slightly annoyed. 

He looked tired as he rested his head back on the sofa and stared up at the tall ceiling. 

"You just snapped me out of my concentration that's all" I mumbled. 

"That can't happen" he mumbled back instantly. 

"Sorry" I grumbled back. 

"You look exhausted" I stated, letting my legs down and pushing myself to the edge of the sofa. I leant back and stretched my legs so that they were resting on his lap. 

"Thanks" he grunted. It seemed like he was back in one of his moods but his hands found my legs and they rested softly on them. 

"I know we have a lot to do but you need to find some time to relax otherwise you're no good to me" I teased. 

He looked up at this and cocked one eyebrow mischievously. 

"No good to you?" 

"I mean, you need to stay focused and fresh if we're going to get this cabinet to work.." I mumbled. 

"I was hoping you meant something else" he mumbled sleepily before resting his head back on the edge of the couch and closing his eyes. 

"Well that too" I smiled, watching as his own lips turned upwards and into a smirk. 


	62. Jealously

**Draco's POV**

After we had successfully completed the first step towards Aster's theory for the cabinet, we both lazily went back to our individual beds. Not before I nabbed a goodnight kiss, something Aster did not see coming as she grabbed my hoodie for stability in shock.

I was at dinner when I saw her next. My eyes were trained on the piece of a bread roll on my plate but my ears were focused in on Aster's conversation with Nott and Zabini to my left. There was a few people between us on the Slytherin table but their conversation was loud enough for me to overhear.

"Where were you last night Aster? Blaise and I didn't see you in the library" Nott says.

If I look to my left and over the table I can see Aster from where I'm sitting. In my peripheral version I can see her figure freeze.

"I was in the library, I was probably looking for a book" she said, before I heard her pour more juice into her goblet. "What did you guys get up to last night? I went to bed quite early" She added.

"Not much, we just played wizard chess" Blaise replies.

"I was telling Blaise all about our date" Nott's annoyingly suave voice chimes in.

I grab my bread roll and sharply bite into it. I move the dry bites around in my mouth, not really wanting to swallow.

"Not a date" Aster sing-songs.

I hear Blaise laugh and Nott chuckles shortly after.

I hear a heavy thump and I twist my head to find Nott leaning over the table and staring straight at Aster, a huge grin on his face. Aster wide eyed and shocked stops drinking from her goblet and puts it down next to her plate.

"I know you had fun Aster, stop trying to deny it" he grins.

I clench my fist and stare straight ahead, trying to calm my breathing.

"Mate, what's up?" Goyle interrupts to my right.

"Nothing" I grunt, before leaving my uneaten dinner and pushing myself off the table. I don't give Goyle an excuse for my hasty exit but I do glance at Aster quickly. She looks up and catches me, she narrows her eyes slightly and I give her a fierce glare before I storm off and out of The Great Hall.

As I exit the hall and walk down the hallway towards the dungeons, I come face to face with Professor Dumbledore. Before he has a chance to say something, I sharply avoid his gaze and walk past him. My anger now amplified with panic.

**Aster's POV**

I quickly pick myself up and mumble a lame excuse to Blaise before I follow Draco.

As I hurry out of The Great Hall, I can see his white hair up ahead. I watch as he halts and stands idly in front of Professor Dumbledore. His shoulders tense before he moves straight past the professor, his head down.

Curious, I continue to follow him.

He goes down the corridor perpendicular to the entrance to the dungeons, his feet quicken steadily. I hesitantly follow him as he enters an empty classroom, one I had never been in before.

"What are you doing?" he demands, making me halt suddenly and stare as he sits himself on a random desk at the back of the classroom. The room is bare with just a few old desks stacked in the corner, cobwebs cover the stack of chairs at the front of the class.

"What are YOU doing?" I say back, crossing my arms in front of my chest and giving him a deathly stare.

"You were following me so I took a detour" he shrugs.

"Why did you rush out of dinner like that?"

I watch as something flickers behind his eyes, apprehension.

"I was on the verge of knocking Nott out for flirting with you" he admits, shrugging again.

I couldn't help but smile. His timid look quickly changed into a snarky snarl as he clocked my smile.

"Why is that amusing?" he asked, his fury rippling off his tongue.

"I like it when you're jealous but you don't have to be. I won't touch Theo again"

"Again?" he was gripping the side of the desk now, his eyes furious.

"I haven't _touched_ him, I mean I won't go near him, flirt with him" I state, still slightly amused at his envy.

"Hmmph" is all I get in reply.

"Do you need reassuring Draco?" I whisper, walking up to him and placing my palms on his thighs.

He watched me warily but I felt his thighs tense beneath my hands.

Leaning forward and pressing my lips against the corner of my lips, I savour the fresh scent of his cologne.

"I only want you" I murmur before pressing my lips firmly against his, begging them for entry before slipping my tongue and tangling it with his. He opens readily and kisses me back with just as much urgency. After yesterdays entanglement in the stacks, I had been urging on the edge of extreme want for hours. I was desperate for a release, and I only wanted it from him. But this time, I needed to show him how much I wanted _him._

I massage his growing erection through the front of his trousers before I murmur into his lips, "stand up".

He slowly stands up, not releasing his lips from mine. His hands find my waist and he tries to pull me closer but I don't let him. Instead I sink to my knees, my fingers frantic as they rip his belt out of the loops and tug on the zipper. I hear him chock on a breath when my cold hands wrap around the heat of him. He anchors himself by latching his hands to the desk behind him, as I start to pump my hand up and down.

"Fuck Ast, you're so good" His head falls back and I get a delicious view of the pumping veins in his neck.

I run my tongue along the underside of his length, wrapping it around the head over and over. I grips his thighs to keep me balanced. His thighs quiver.

"You're my girl Aster" he says through heavy breaths.

I lick my tongue against him again, and watch from the corner of my eyes as he grips harder onto the desk.

His hand slide into my hair and pull tightly, making me gag against his length. I looked up into his eyes, desperate for him to talk to me more.

His eyes met mine, a mirrored desperation looked back.

"Please let me fuck your mouth" he says through gritted teeth, nearly making me whine with him still in my mouth.

His hips snap forward, until the felt the end of his cock is sliding in the back of my throat. I can't help by moan, the vibration humming against him. He begins to thrust, his eyes rolling up into his head as he loses himself to the sheer primal need to come. Just watching him lose control makes my body convulse with fire and need. I suck him off even as he fucks my tongue, enjoying the slick slide of it against his skin.

"You want me to come in your mouth?" His tone is almost too gentle for the voracious need that was obviously emanating off him. His hips pull back far enough for me to take a breath.

I move my lips to the side for a second and in between shallow breaths I nod.

Then i swirl my tongue along his tip, licking up the wetness already spilling and slowly, almost teasingly wrap my mouth around him, taking him as deep as I could go. He bucks again and this time his cock hits the back of my throat with so much force, I gag and quickly breath through my nose. My hands are still gripped on his thighs, my fingernails probably digging into his skin beneath his trousers.

He fucks my mouth incessantly and I feel his warm hands make their way to the back of my head, holding me steady. The warmness of his hands on my skin makes me shiver with need myself and I let myself moan against his cock in my mouth.

The moan makes him swear, his voice croaky and hot.

He starts to falter and I can tell his close. His thighs clench beneath my hands and suddenly I taste his salty release. It hits the back of my throat forcefully and I gag slightly. His hands turn into gentle caresses against my neck as he to releases himself from my mouth.

I look up and find him gazing at me slightly adoringly. His eyes are soft and glazed over. He wipes the corner of my mouth with his thumb before pulling my up by my jaw. I stand in between his legs and he pulls me forward so I'm flush against his chest.

He places a sweet but firm kiss on my lips before pulling back and looking at me.

His gaze makes my bones shiver and my heart thump harshly in my rib cage.


	63. The Cursed Necklace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder: this is AU. I have drawn certain events from the books but they may not be in order or accurate.

**Aster's POV**

The next few weeks were filled with lessons on Occlumency, continuing the laborious task of fixing the vanishing cabinet (this was coming on quite slowly to Draco's chagrin) and my ever most favourite, stolen moments in empty classrooms and in the Room of Requirement.

After that day in the empty classroom, Draco had taken upon himself to grab and pull me aside at any time I was alone. The quick rendezvous' were void of all talk about his task and my lessons in occlumency and instead were passionately filled with touches, moans and releases. I knew this was a way for Draco to relax amongst the building pressure of fixing the cabinet and I was totally okay with it.

The continuous lessons on Occlumency were exhausting at the best of times, most times I came away with blinding migraines; something Draco said shouldn't be happening. Draco blamed this on my inability to control the depths of sheltering my emotions. His explanation made sense. I had always put those negative feelings into one side of my mind, barricading them in so they wouldn't spill out. My lessons were on acknowledging those feelings and thoughts but shutting those memories out from everyone else BUT me.

I had been improving however, and Draco had finally allowed himself to test my ability by attempting to use legilimency on me.

The first time he attempted to filter through my mind, he had come face to face with a memory of Harper and Blaise. It was a memory that had been brought up by Blaise that morning, a casual mentioning of a day in which Blaise and Harper had visited me on a hot summers day a few years ago. A moment that pictured all three of us swimming in the depths of the sea, laughing and squealing as we splashed each other. The feeling of Draco slipping through the cracks of my mind, made my body shiver with unease and after a few minutes I was able to push him out and create those shields he had been teaching me to use.

Draco was staring at me with an odd expression once I came to. It wasn't necessarily pity but it wasn't a comforting look. He didn't mention the memory, but instead criticised my slow movement with a harsh tone before slipping into a more stoic tone that he normally used for his teaching.

Our 'relationship' had somewhat become normal over the last few weeks. Normal in my terms at the very least. Something had switched in Draco that time after our meeting in the empty classroom. He was more attentive, and seemed calmer in class. He would steal small touches when we were seated next to each other in Potions and would insist on carrying my books when we had our usual library session to complete the assignment. He would still keep away from me when others were around but I understood why.

Draco and I had fooled around countless times in the weeks passing, especially after our laborious spell work on the cabinet at nights but it was just that, fooling around. I was itching to have him all, but he hadn't invited me up to his room since the start of the term. Whenever, I attempted to move onto more in the Room of Requirement, he had ultimately stopped and distracted me with something else.

No matter how many times he could give me my release with just his fingers or his mouth, I was determined for more.

I had sent Draco an owl that morning, asking him to meet me in the library at our usual spot that Saturday evening, on the pretence that we needed to finish the finer points in our assignment. It was when I was rushing towards the back of the library, to our little secluded spot, when I heard students whispering about Katie Bell.

Neville Longbottom was whispering rather loudly as I walked past his table, he was sitting next to Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione found her!" he exclaimed before his eyes flicked over to me and he hastily shut up.

I rolled my eyes but gave him a brief curt smile. I wasn't friendly with the bunch, that group had an unruly indifference to us Slytherins but Luna was I guess what you called a friend and I wasn't mortal enemies with Potter like Draco was.

"Hi Aster" a dreamy voice echoed behind me.

I was just about to slip into the stacks that led to the back of the library when Luna called out. I twisted round and found her swivelled in her chair, her lopsided smile beaming at me.

"Hey Luna, you alright?" I asked, feeling the awkward tension that was Neville Longbottom's eyes staring at me.

"Marvellous thank you. Have you seen Malfoy around? Harry said he..." before she got to finish, Ginny interrupted.

"...Luna!" She looked at me tersely, her light eyes squinting slightly.

"No What did Potter say about Malfoy?" I tried to keep my tone level.

Luna looked away from me, her eyes finding interest in something to my left. Instead I looked at Weasley and Longbottom.

"Nothing, he just thought he saw something." Weasley said curtly. She sat up straighter and tried to focus on her work in front of her but I stared at her bright red hair until she wiggled under my piercing stare.

"Longbottom, what happened?" I ordered, pressing my books to my chest.

"Uh, um...Katie Bell's been cursed. She's in the infirmary now. Harry, Ron and Hermione found her." He mumbled, his cheeks flaming under the tension and his eyes avoiding mine.

"What has that got to do with Malfoy?" I asked, my patience now thinning.

He looked into my eyes briefly, apprehension and fear clouded them.

"Nothing...probably. Harry just has this feeling he had something to do with it" he mumbled almost incoherently.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Why would Dr-I mean Malfoy want to curse Katie?" I asked.

Longbottom shrugged. They had all taken to looking at their work in front of them, so I huffed and stalked back towards the back of the library.

I waited two hours. Right until Madam Pince ordered me out with a hushed cry.

The common room was fairly busy but it was a Saturday night so this wasn't unusual. I found Blaise playing exploding snap with Theo, both of them cheerily laughing as they played. It was comforting watching Blaise laugh, I hadn't seen him look so relaxed since Harper left us.

I sat down next to Theo who had settled himself on a two seater couch behind a coffee table. Blaise was sitting on the floor, legs sprawled out, leaning on his elbows.

I scanned the room as I sat, searching for those familiar pale eyes.

"Hey Ast...Ast?"

I tore my eyes away from the room and looked at Blaise, his eyebrows raised in question.

"You alright?"

I nodded and shuffled in my seat.

"Um..have you uh..seen..?" I left the question hanging, hoping Blaise caught on to what I was asking. I felt Theo looking at me from my left but I ignored it.

Blaise eyes flicked in understanding before crinkling with worry lines.

"Yeah- went to bed I think" he answered quickly before dealing another card and drawing Theo back into the game.

It worked, Theo didn't ask and I gave Blaise a smile in thanks. I picked my books up and said goodnight, both boys too distracted by the game.

I slipped into my room to find it empty and put my books back. Before I left, I quickly checked myself in my full length mirror. My hair had come lose from my pony tail, so I pulled it out and let the mess of waves full down my back. I didn't have it in me to brush it, I was starting to fill slightly overwhelmed with nerves and confusion. I tried so hard to not barricade all my uneasy feelings and instead let myself feel them slowly. The effect was obviously starting to have physical repercussions. Clenching and unclenching my fists, I made my way to the boys dorms.

As it was a Saturday night, the boys dorms were busy so I decided to cast a disillusion charm. The charm worked wonders as I strolled though various groups of boys and even a lone Pansy. 

The charm wore off just before I got to Draco's door.

Knocking tentatively, I waited for an answer.

"What!?" His voice yelled out, angry and tense.

I didn't want to yell out, anyone could hear me.

I knocked again, knowing how angry it would make him but the very thought made my lips curl up in amusement.

"For fucks sake-" the door flew open and Draco's mouth stayed wide open as his eyes found mine.

"Hey" I mumbled before he hand a chance to block me, I slipped under his arm and into his bedroom.

I strolled in and took in his room. It was slightly messy for Draco. Clothes were strewn across the floor and papers littered his desk.

I heard him slam the door behind me.

"What are you doing here? Did anyone see you?!"

I spun around to fully look at him.

Dark circles were under bloodshot eyes. His white hair were dishevelled, as if he had been ringing his hands through them all night.

"'No one saw me." I answered curtly.

I was confused. Confused at his appearance, confused about his absence.

Panic started to slip through my cracks and I started to feel my heart beat heavily in my chest.

"Where were you?"

His eyes were empty, he looked at me like I was transparent. It made my heart ache.

He didn't reply, instead he picked up his guitar from the corner and sat on the edge of his bed.

I watched him as he rested the guitar on his lap and tentatively started to strum random cords.

"Are you ok?" I asked him, taking timid steps towards him.

My fingers itched to touch him, to hold him.

He looked so broken.

I clenched my fists again and at this movement his eyes travelled to my hands. I watched as his eyebrows furrowed and his gaze wandered up to my face.

He quickly looked down and focused on moving his fingers to new chords.

"I'll be ok, I have to be" he mumbled softly, almost inaudibly.

I decided to sit next to him, so close that I could feel the warmth of his thigh against mine. Our shoulders brushed so I moved mine so it was slightly in front of his.

"What happened?" I asked, as he strummed. The odd notes were slightly comforting in the silence.

"Doesn't matter"

I watched his fingers as they moved effortless up and down the neck of the guitar.

"Did you curse Katie Bell?"

The words left my mouth in a worried whisper.

He stopped strumming abruptly but kept his gaze on his lap.

"No" he said through gritted teeth.

"I heard-"

"You heard nothing." His voice raised slightly and he pulled the guitar off his lap and onto the floor.

"Fuck!" He yells unexpectedly, burying his head into his hands and tearing at the long strands in his hair.

I waited for his breaths to stop being so laborious. If there was one thing I had learnt from Draco, it was that he didn't like to be pushed into saying something.

"I didn't curse her...I didn't mean to. It wasn't supposed to be her" he mumbled, his words became rushed in his anger and I had to take a second for the words to make sense to me.

"Who was it supposed to be?"

He pulled his head out of his hands and stared at the dark window opposite.

"I can't tell you"

I nodded but my heart ached at not knowing.

"What happened exactly? Can I know that?" I asked nervously.

It took him a minute to reply, his pale eyes searching mine for something.

"I had to- I had this cursed necklace- from father. He organised it. I had to deliver it to- uh. Well I didn't fucking plan for Katie Bell to unwrap it did I? She was just supposed to deliver it." He seemed quite frantic and it was unsettling to see him this way. But he quickly turned his frantic energy into his usual stoic manner.

"Fuck sake!" He yelled pushing himself up from his bed.

"What are you doing here Flint?" He yelled.

I soundlessly casted a silencing spell on the room, hoping that Draco didn't see the swish of my wand.

"I came to see if you were ok. When you didn't turn up in the library, I heard people talking about Katie Bell and then... Longbottom mentioned you and I don't know..." I stuttered at the end, it probably wasn't the best time to tell him I was worried.

"Longbottom?! Of course that bloody idiot thinks I did something. Potter brainwashes those bloody fools I'm telling you!...and why do you care? Just leave me alone" he spat, his face was red now, his face stern.

"Don't you dare push me away again! If this is another task from the dark lord why didn't you just tell me?!"

My heart started to race from anger now and not nerves. Draco made me feel things too much and too deeply and after my lessons with him, I had opened the chasm and now my emotions seemed to flood out of me.

"I don't need your help!" He yelled back, his eyes burning into mine.

"I'm not offering my help you imbecile!"

"What are you offering then Aster? Your body? That's all you good for"

All breath seemed to have left my lungs. I quickly pulled up those mental barriers. Today was not the day to feel.

"Fuck off Draco. I know you well enough now that you push people away from you when your scared"

He narrowed his eyes at me more, I could see his body tense with anger. He stalked towards me but I dared not move.

"I'm not scared" he scoffed but I could tell I hit a nerve. His eyes wavered slightly from mine.

He stepped closer, so I took the opportunity to try and change the tension in the room. I slowly stepped into him and softened my gaze. I looped my arms around his neck. His eyes found mine, his jaw loosening. I felt his hands grip my waist gently, as if he was unsure about what he was doing.

"I'm scared" I admitted.

His eyes widened slightly.

"If _he's_ got you doing other things...that makes me fucking terrified. Why is he using you like this?" I whispered the last question, not sure if I really wanted the answer.

His hands squeeze my waist tightly as he dropped his forehead onto mine and closed his eyes.

"Talk to me" I whispered, keeping my eyes open.

He breathed out heavily.

"What do you want to know?" He asked, his breath hot against my skin.

"Everything".


	64. Yours

**Aster's POV**

He told me everything.

It was the most I have ever heard him speak in one sitting.

At first it was like the words got stuck between his teeth but after he had calmed down, his words started to tumble out of his mouth. All I could do was listen.

Every now and then he would stop and a look of disgust would shadow his eyes, like he was mad at the way he was talking so freely. I knew enough about pure blood families and their ideals and idiosyncrasies that it was frowned upon to talk so openly. I kept my distance by sitting cross legged on his bed, as he paced and ranted.

I wasn't entirely surprised at his task. It was common knowledge that the person the dark lord was afraid of the most was Professor Dumbledore. The one thing I was surprised of however, was the fact Draco had actually contemplated killing him.

"I had to Ast. I couldn't say no. The way he looked at my mother..."

"You had no choice" I completed his sentence.

He paused at this and looked at me properly, stopping his pacing and dropping his hands from clenched fists.

"I had a choice, I just didn't have great ones. What was I supposed to do? Say no?" I watched as his eyes grew glassy. My own eyes pricking with tears at the sight.

"You could have told me Draco. After all, I've been helping you with the cabinet. You don't think I knew that there was more to that? I knew it had something to do with bringing others into Hogwarts." I confessed.

"Why would you help me do that?" He spoke quietly.

"You know why. I couldn't let him bring my father into this. I was doing that same thing as you, the dark lord just doesn't know. Not that I didn't have faith in you completing this task by yourself, but I couldn't just stand by and watch all of it unfold. You're important to the dark lord, you have your fathers protection. Who does my father have?"

His eyes were staring at his hands, he had started to fiddle with his ring again.

"I wouldn't have blamed my failures on your father"

"I know that, but you're just a teenager. No matter how barbaric and evil he is, he wouldn't punish you if there was a responsible adult nearby." The words seemed to sink into me, and I felt my tears slide down my face.

"I'm sorry Ast. For everything. For saying that you were only good- for your body..I didn't mean that." His voice cracked and I looked up to find his own eyes wet with tears.

I stood up from the bed and walked over to him. Standing in front of him, my head tilted slightly up, I looked into his eyes.

"Just don't say anything like that to me ever again otherwise I will literally hex your balls off" I smiled shyly, my tears dripping onto my lips.

"I'm just so conflicted. My heart is begging me to keep you away from all this but I know deep down I need you."

He said this so quietly I almost thought I dreamt it.

My tongue felt heavy and thick but before I could unstick it from the roof of my mouth, his hand made its way to my jaw and he began to trace soft circles on my cheeks.

His eyes suddenly felt all too consuming and a part of me wanted to run, run from this intense emotion I was feeling.

"I can't let myself be the reason you end up in his clutches or even worse dead. At first I was doing this to keep my father happy and my mother safe. Now...I have you." His eyes searched between my eyes and my mouth.

"Me?" Was all I could come up with.

"You. If I didn't have you this year, I think I was be a living corpse. A body with no soul".

"Can't you just take your mum and run away somewhere?" I mumbled. My muscles were starting to numb under his soft touch on my face.

"He would find me. I'm done. This is my life now, if you don't want that, you need to leave me and I would probably recommend you move to another country. Maybe Australia? Just someone far from him, from me."

I couldn't tear my eyes away from his. His hands drifting down my jaw and to my neck, his fingers finding purchase in my necklace.

"I'm going to help you fix this cabinet. You will complete your task and then he will move onto someone else. You're only useful because you're a Malfoy and currently at Hogwarts. Maybe after this, you can come back to school next year and-"

"What complete my NEWTs under a teaching staff of death eaters? My father won't let me come back to school. I'll be sent on other missions Ast, ones worse than this"

"We will figure something out" I whispered, bring my face closer to his and pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

He pulled my face away from his after the kiss, his eyes filled with worry.

"You really want to get involved with me?"

I smiled sweetly.

"I thought I already was."

His lip curled and I immediately smiled at him.

"Do you really forgive me?" He asked his expression suddenly sullen.

"I know you didn't mean it"

His hands wrapped around my waist and he pulled me closer, his face dipping down so close I could feel his breath on my cheeks.

"Aster?"

I looked straight at him and found his cheeks bright red and his pupils wide.

He was nervous.

"Yeah?" I asked, concern bubbling in my stomach.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

My lips curled up in nothing but absurd amusement.

"Is Draco Malfoy really asking me to be his girlfriend?" I teased, pushing myself into his body so he knows I'm joking.

He scowled, his hands gripping my hips forcefully.

"I-" he starts, before I shut him up with a a chaste kiss.

"Yes, I would love to be your girlfriend" I smiled, before glancing up at him.

He still had that dark blush on his cheeks and I could see him clenching his jaw to stop himself from smiling.

"Now does this mean you will stop pushing me away?" I grip his shoulders.

He grunts in reply and I laugh.

"Now enough stressing. We need to find the light in times of darkness" I mumble into his lips.

"Is now the time to mis-quote Dumbledore?" Draco grunts.

I laugh at the morbidity of my statement.

"Ok poor choice of words. I do have a question though..."

His hands find my jaw again and he tilts my face upward so I can look into his eyes directly.

"Why haven't we had sex in three weeks?"

His lips curl up and a smirk settles in his expression.

"Have you missed me? I thought I was keeping you satisfied" he grins.

"Oh definitely satisfied. Those lips..." I touched his lips and gazed , lost in memories of them sucking of every part of my body, "...those fingers" I find his fingers and play with them, slipping my hand into his, "but I need more, I want you. All of you." I whisper.

In response, he lets go of my hand and slips his fingers underneath my T-shirt to trace my collarbone.

"Please, why won't you just let me-"

"Fuck you?" He whispers hotly in my ear.

"Mhmm" I moan as his fingers leave goosebumps behind.

"It was another way of me keeping you at bay" he mumbles.

I stare at his lips, my body already succumbing to his soft touches.

"How is keeping sex from me keeping me at bay? We've done everything else?" I question under mild moans.

"I don't know, I haven't been thinking straight lately. I did however keep you from my room because of the necklace. I had that here for weeks" he murmurs.

"We aren't doing that anymore"

"What holding out on sex? Trust me now that your my girlfriend, I want you in my bed every night you can and if I can't get you in my bed, I'm going to fuck you in empty classrooms" his voice was hot and heavy and just the sound of it made my legs wobble.

"I meant you're not keeping things from me anymore. I don't expect you to tell me everything but I want you to tell me things that matter" I explained, hoping he wouldn't get scared off.

From what I knew, Draco Malfoy had never had a steady girlfriend. Sure, he had openly dated Pansy Parkinson but from what I gathered that meant nothing more than a fling that satiated his teenage curiosity.

Which also meant, Draco was my first ever boyfriend.

That was something I would have to get used to.

Not that we could openly act like a couple but knowing that we were made my heart full.

Instead of replying, Draco pushed me backwards making me slightly stumble. His hands found purchase in my hips and he steered me until my bum hit the edge of his desk. My fingers reached behind me, grasping frantically to steady myself.

"Do you remember the last time you were perched on the very edge of this desk?" His tone was lidded with lust-filled tones.

His deep voice made my skin shiver.

"I've spent many a nights dreaming about fucking you here again" he murmured into my ear, his breath hot and tantalising. He grabs my hips in his large hands, pulling me against him so I can feel how hard he is.

All I could do was groan.

Draco leaned in, his lips brushing my cheek before he whispered against my ear.

"Turn around".

Twisting in his hold, I spin, brushing away the rolls of parchment scattered in front of me and leaning my forearms against the hard oak of the desk. Draco's hands slipped beneath the black and white pleated skirt I was wearing. Gabbing hold of my hips and urging me to arch my back and stick my ass out, I was suddenly very thankful I decided to opt out of stockings today. Eyes closed, I did as silently instructed, my focus narrowing to the brush of Draco's skin against mine, the sound of the zipper lowering on his trousers, the bite of fabric against the crease of my inner thigh as he tugged my knickers to one side.

The head of his cock slipped through my folds and my teeth sank into my lower lips to keep from groaning when he finally presses inside, bottoming out with one thrust.

"Fuck- I missed being inside of you" his hot words pulsate through my body, every nerve of mine itching and thumping with need.

He kissed the hollow beneath my ear, his lips warm and damp.

Draco withdrew all the way before pressing deep again, his hand slipped around my body, fingers finding my clit. He circled it, a little rough, seemingly more determined to get me off and make it immediate rather than tease. I bite down hard, teeth clenching, as he plays me with practised ease. Thrusting shallowly, Draco seems to focus his attention on strumming me into climax, pleasure building and cresting.

He had taken to speaking words of lust-filled endearments, soft words mixed with dirty ones in our many rendezvous' over the last weeks.

"You are so tight and perfect" he murmured, his voice straining.

Everything clenched, muscles fluttering around his cock as he held still, buried still inside me.

As I rode out my orgasm, his thrusts became deeper and harder, until he slipped out of me.

His hands gripped my waist harshly, twisting me to face him. His pupils were wide. I couldn't help but gasp at his expression, pure adoration.

"I need to see you" he explains, griping my chin with his fingers and tilted my mouth up to his. Before he lands his lips on mine, he does a quick scan of my face, his eyes wide in almost disbelief.

"I can't believe you're really mine. I found you" he mumbles, his voice sort of drowsy.

He crashes his lips to mine as he yanks me up and perches me on top of his desk. He enters inside of me again, his cock hitting that spot that knocks the breath from my lungs. Each time without fail, the pleasure heightens by just how stupidly sensitive I was after coming once already.

"I was always yours" I mumble as his lips find their way to my neck.

His hips gain speed and his grip tightens on my hips.

"Don't stop" I pant, pushing my hands up and under his tshirt, raking my nails against his back, seeking some sort of purchase as his hips buckle into mine.

A sharp tug on my hair makes my back bow. He stops his kisses on my neck and for a second my skin sings for him to return. But instead, his hands find their way up my shirt, cupping my breasts over my bra and causing a throaty groan to escape.

The sound of his cock sliding into me was lewd and paired with the rhythmic slap of sweat-damp skin on skin, lets just say I was very glad I had previously cast the silencing charm.

I had come once already and I was primed to tip over the edge once more just from the sounds of Draco fucking me. I was barely hanging on a threat.

"Come inside of me please" I mumbled beneath pants.

His eyes found mine and in that moment I felt a strange overwhelming presence of something more than me.

It was us.

It was him.

I shivered.

He thrust a little harder, deeper.

Already closed, my eyes clenched. I listened as his dirty words dripped from his mouth.

"I'm going to finish fucking you until you cant feel your legs and then I want you in my bed where I will fuck you again until we're testing the longevity of that silencing spell you secretly cast before" his eyes twinkled with that Malfoy glint.

"Draco" I whimpered, legs shaking.

He shushed me.

"You're my girl".

He grabbed my hair, another scalp-tingling tug and resumed fucking me into the desk as if he never stopped. the possibility of coming again hovered in my periphery. Draco's shuddered breaths coming fast and hard against the shell of my ear, signalling his rapidly approaching end. His tongue darted out, curling around the lobe of my ear before he gasped, the rhythm of his hips faltering as he shoved further into me, so deep, fingers spasming against my waist as his cock twitched.

And then that possibility of coming again was no longer in my periphery but right in front of me. Blinding.

Draco's fingers circled hard over my clit as I tensed, knees locking around his waist as I snapped my eyes shut and shattered, spots dancing behind my lids as I panted against his chest.

We both came together. Harder than we had in a long time.

"Fuck Ast. I-" he stopped himself before he exclaimed his declaration, and my heart thumped harshly.

Instead, I brought his lips down to mine and kissed my obvious love into him.


	65. Be my Valentine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song mentioned: Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles

**Draco's POV**

Every time I thought about the agonizing slow progress of the vanishing cabinet, I turned to Aster. 

I revelled in her soft touches, her pink lips, her round curves. 

Even just tuning into her voice helped. 

It was Valentines Day, a spectacle even in the wizarding world, probably even more so. 

Normally a day I despised, however today, it didn't feel quite as vexatious as normal. It felt almost, exhilarating. 

Aster and I hadn't planned anything, it wasn't like I could take her out on a public date or gift her with a card of charmed doves. That wasn't Aster's style anyway. 

Walking into breakfast felt like being plunged into a sickening sea of pink and red. Heart-shaped confetti fell from the pale blue ceiling, large lurid pink flowers decorated the long tables, and a dozen dwarves wearing golden wings and carrying harps had been hired to deliver Valentines around the room. I couldn't help but turn my nose at the tacky absurdity. 

My eyes immediately found Aster. She was also turning her nose up at the festivities, her eyes narrowing at the red card that was thrusted under her nose. 

Before I knew it, my legs were carrying me over to her. I swiftly sat opposite her, keeping my eyes focused on the plate in front of me. 

"Morning Malfoy" a sneering Theo welcomed. 

I looked up to find his scheming smirk plastered on his face. He was sitting next to Blaise who was perched in the middle of Aster and Theo. Blaise's focus was on Aster but his eyes flickered towards me as I sat down. 

I gave Theo a disgruntled look. 

"Do you not feel the love in the air this morning Malfoy?" he quipped sarcastically. 

Theo's eyes sparkled and Blaise snorts at his joke. 

I ignore them and help myself to a piece of heart shaped toast, tearing it in half and being pleased at the outcome. 

The fact even us wizards are so happy to express our love to our loved ones in such mundane, trivial ways, made me mad that this is how people expressed it. Was there not more to love than paper cards and love hearts? 

"Lets head to charms early" I hear Blaise say. I look up to find him nudging Theo with his shoulder, "I heard Romilda Vane is attempting to slip Potter a love potion before class". 

I can't help but snicker alongside Nott. 

I catch Zabini slyly knock Aster's arm as he leaves with Nott. This causes me to look up and find Aster shyly smiling at me. Aster shy? This instantly has me worried. 

"What?" I grumble at her from across the table. 

She looks around casually before replying. 

"Happy Valentines Day my love" she says boldly, her shyness vanishing.

My mouth hangs open and my eyes search the table for eavesdropper's. The table is scattered with students, however the ones nearest seem to be fully involved in a loud conversation about the many valentines pilled in front of a popular fifth year. 

I look back and find her smirk widened, her eyes glittering with humour. 

I narrow mine at her. 

"I suppose you're expecting flowers, chocolates the whole thing?" I quip nervously. Unsure about her daring display of public attention. 

She rolls her eyes and grabs her goblet. 

"Not a fan of Valentines day?" she asks, her smirk still present. 

"The idea of having one day to appreciate your loved one seems prudent to me" I mutter, before picking up my own goblet, mirroring her. 

She smiles tightly, her eyes seem to crinkle with a sort of mysterious amusement. 

I decide to expand. 

"Shouldn't one express their affection for their lover every day?" 

I cringe as soon as I speak the words. 

"Lover?" she chuckles, a colour the same as the confetti sprinkled around the table rising to her cheeks. 

I roll my eyes at her and hope that she doesn't notice that I'm also donning the same blush. 

"I will be expecting affection every day from now on Malfoy" she says quietly, taking a sip from her goblet and watching me from over the rim. 

She finishes her drink before standing up and leaving. I watch her as she walks out of the Great Hall, her dark hair swaying as she walks. Its not until she leaves my sight that I realise I'm smiling. 

As I make my way to class, my thoughts run into a problem. _I had never actually taken Aster out on a date._

**Aster's POV**

The next time I saw Draco was in Potions class. This period usually met me with conflicted emotions. I was always tickling with anticipating of seeing Draco but my thoughts often swayed to Harper. It was the only class in which I saw her in close proximity. Her very voice made me tense miserably. 

Today, the room was thick with the steam of potions. The pungent smell of peppermint...and green apples. 

_Amortentia._

A small chuckle escaped my lips. 

Draco was already sitting on his stool. He had taken to sitting in Harper's place since the start of the term, on the pretence of our assignment. 

"Fitting isn't it?" he scowled as I sat down. 

"What do you smell Malfoy?" I smirk. 

He leans closer to me, acting as if he's reaching for a spare phial next to me. 

"You. It always has been" he whispers in my ear, causing my skin to tingle with a new sense of excitement. 

"I much prefer tasting though" he mutters before he sinks back onto his stool. 

He chuckles at my blush that feels hot on my cheeks. 

"Malfoy!" 

Montague walks in, hand in hand with Harper. My eyes quickly betray me and they quickly take in how she looks. She looks up at Montague, she looks utterly besotted and my heart aches. He, on the other hand pulls her hand to her table and looks towards Malfoy as he rips his hand from her grasp. 

"You found a date yet for Hogsmeade this evening?"

I try hard to not look towards Draco. Instead I busy myself with my textbook. 

"I don't partake in Valentines Day, you know that" he grunts. 

"What's been with you lately? I haven't seen a girl on your arm in months." Montague teases Draco. 

I try not to smile. 

"I've had bigger things to think about Montague" Draco sneers, his tone threatening and authouritive. 

I hear Montague grunt and walk back towards his table. 

As Professor Slughorn starts his lecture, I feel Draco pull closer to me. He moves his stool silently closer to mine and I look to my side cautiously. 

"I have come to the realisation that I have yet to take you on an actual date" he whispers.

The statement surprises me and I have to grip myself onto the table in front of me to stop myself from falling backwards. 

I keep my gaze on my parchment. 

"We can't...we can't be seen-" I don't finish my sentence, he knows what I'm trying to say. 

"Just meet up in the astronomy tower at midnight" he mutters. 

"What about the cabinet?" I whispered so quietly for a quick second I doubted her heard me. 

"Have a day off" he huffed impatiently. 

I grinned. 

Every now and then, Draco would crack his patience and his pure-blooded mannerisms. It made me smile every time. 

"I think _you_ need a day off. Merlin Malfoy, relax a little" I scoffed. 

I look up slightly and find him looking up at Professor Slughorn pacing at the front of the room, the corners of his mouth turned up in a small smirk. 

"Relax?" he murmurs, his tone almost sultry. 

I can't help but look up and I find his eyes fiery with silver flames. 

"I do like helping _you_ relax" he adds. 

I raised my eyebrows at him before flashing my eyes to roam the room. Everyone was focused on Professor Slughorn's practised example of using a goats bezoar in a sleeping potion. Sparks and red flames were erupting from the open cauldron. 

As I watched the excited flames lick the air, a cool touch on my thigh made me jerk in my seat. Draco's hand was inching its way up my bare leg, his fingers itched their way across the seam of my underwear. 

"I do like the fact you now favour not wearing stockings" he coaxes, before slipping his fingers under my knickers and feeling the wetness already pooling at my centre. 

"At the rate you keep coming on to me, they started to become more of a nuisance rather than a necce-" his finger started to rub at my clit and my thighs clenched together, squeezing his hand tightly between my skin. 

"Draco" I hissed, my eyes darting around the room. 

Luckily, the tables in this classroom were wide enough for no one to hear our conversation or notice my sudden jerk, nor did they notice how close Draco was now to me. The dimness of the room being near the dungeons was also a benefit. 

He didn't relent, instead he pressed firmly on my sweet sport, making me squirm and begrudgingly bite my lip to stop moans from escaping my mouth. My vision started to swim as he played with me, the forbiddenness of the private act made my stomach coil even tighter. Draco and I had fooled around in semi-public places previously, but this seemed almost too public. My mind was torn with the very possibility of getting caught and the very close edge that he was pushing me to. It even seemed like that the very possibility of getting caught was spurring me on more. 

"Are you getting off on the possibility of getting caught?" he whispered hotly in my ear. 

I bit my lip harder, the metallic tang of blood coating my tongue as I puncture the skin. 

"Draco" I warn between heavy breaths. 

"This is but a little teaser of what's to come" he teases before removing his fingers from me and chuckling. 

The coolness of his absence makes my incomplete orgasm even harder to ignore. 

As soon as Professor Slughorn finishes his lecture and dismisses the class to their term assignments, I jump out of my stool and exit the classroom, mumbling about using the bathroom. 

I have to douse myself in cool water from the tap in the bathroom for a good five minutes before I wander back to class, welcomed by a very smug Draco. 

\-----

"Are you positive you don't want to just accompany me to Hogsmeade tonight?" Theo whined in my ear as he shuffled on his coat. 

Ignoring him, I turned to Blaise and helped him straighten his collar. 

"And who is this mystery date you are taking?" I asked Blaise, raising my eyebrows. 

He looked quite fetching in his dark blue woollen overcoat, his white shirt contrasted his dark skin well. 

"We're just going as friends..a group of us" Blaise confirmed. 

I nodded and looked at Theo, catching him checking me out. 

I had changed into a pair of leggings and my father's old hoodie. 

"Theodore! Stop checking me out!" I cried out, not stopping the smile that skimmed my face as he cheekily grinned at me. 

"Even in a hoodie you look absolutely gorgeous." He grins, swooping down to press a quick kiss to my cheek. 

I blush profusely, before shoving him off and pushing them out the door. 

I spent the next few hours, huddled in bed reading a book, waiting for the clock to chime midnight. I was trying to mask my unbridled nerves in the complexity of the story I was reading. 

The nerves of a first date. 

**Draco's POV**

I had charmed a few candles to float around the top of the astronomy tower, casting a soft glow to the dusty room. 

After confirming that I indeed only liked women, my mother had passionately lectured me about how to treat your witch, something I'm sure my father once did with my mother. Lately, however it seems like my father had taken to wooing the dark lord more than my mother. 

_Don't take her for granted Draco._

_Make sure you always have her consent._

_Make her feel appreciated._

_Show her how you really feel, don't hide._

That one I was still trying to figure out. 

The thing was, Aster wasn't just any girl. 

I watched as the charmed candles flickered. The longer I looked at them, the more inelegant they seemed. 

I had brought a few blankets up with me and had placed them out in front of the open archway. Luckily, tonight was free of clouds and I could instantly spot my namesake sprinkled in the night sky. 

"Oh merlin-" her voice echoed sweetly in the empty vast room. 

I spin round to find Aster standing at the edge of the staircase. She was wearing a green hoodie, her dark hair tumbling effortlessly against the green fabric. She looked so innocent and homely. 

All of a sudden I felt embarrassed. 

"Is it too much?" I ask, walking towards her. 

Her eyes squirt around the room, wide and full.

"No, its beautiful" she says, her lips pulling up into a small smile. I pull her towards me, comforting in her warm soft touch. She places her hands on my shoulders and smiles up at me. 

Pressing my lips to hers, I can't help but sink into her lips, letting my tongue probe open her mouth and delve in. She moans against my kisses and my hands bring her tighter towards my chest. 

Before I get too swept up in her soft lips, I pull away and tug her towards the blankets. We sit down on the soft woollen fabric and I lie back with my arms behind my head, looking straight up at the dark sky. She surprises me by settling her head on my chest. 

"Why here?" she asks. 

"Its quiet most of the time, especially this time of night. I also have a little thing for stars." I admit, almost sheepishly. 

"Because of your name" she comments. 

I smile.

I point the Draco constellation out to her. 

"Did you know my name comes from the Greek word meaning star" she mumbles. 

My heart thumps heavily and for a second, I'm worried that she can feel the pumping pressure now threatening to burst out of my chest. 

"So we're both named after stars?" I mumble.

"Fitting" she mumbles back. 

I smile and watch as a red flush grows up her neck. She had dressed down for our date, her face void of make up and her hair tumbling effortlessly down her chest. I think I rather prefer her this way. Utterly herself. 

"I brought my guitar, seeing as you seem to have an affinity with it I thought maybe I could teach you?" I ask. 

She picks her head up from my chest and sits up. She bears a bright smile, her eyes crinkling in the sweet expression of hers. 

"Yeah?" She looks around and finds my guitar leaning against the stone wall next to the staircase. 

"Go get it" I encourage, nodding towards the guitar. 

She picks herself up from the blankets and collects the guitar, almost holding it as if it were glass. She hands it over, her eyes curiously rake over the wooden instrument. 

"Can you play something for me first?" she asks as she hands it over. 

I pick myself up slightly and shuffle to a nearby step, perching myself on the edge so that I can rest the guitar on my lap comfortably. I pat the step next to me, urging Aster to join. 

As she sits down next to me, I strum the chords, finding the strings pluck easily with my now-soft finger tips. 

I play a song I had been learning prior to the start of my sixth year, a muggle song. 

The chords are soft in the drafty room. I feel myself sink into the notes as I strum them, totally unaware that the girl I've had a crush on for three years is sitting next to me hearing one of my favourite songs. 

"Sing" she mutters breathily, snapping me out of my trance and forcing my eyes to find hers. 

_Here comes the sun  
Here comes the sun  
And I say it's all right_

My voice is shaky and low. I could sing well but I wasn't used to singing in front of people. 

I look up and find her staring at me, her eyes wide and her mouth open. If it wasn't for the turn of her lip, I would have stopped. 

_Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter  
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here_

Her eyes instantly light up as I sing the word 'darling' and I smirk before I continue. 

_Here comes the sun do, do, do  
Here comes the sun  
And I say it's all right _ _Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces  
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here _ _Here comes the sun do, do, do  
Here comes the sun  
And I say it's all right _ _Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly..._

I finished the song, letting my fingers drop from the strings. Normally I felt quite empty after singing. It was normally a way to empty my mind of thoughts in a way that Occlumency couldn't. Except now, it felt almost like too much emotion was now bursting within me.

I looked up and found Aster smiling gently, her eyes crinkled. 

"I never knew you could sing" she murmured. 

I pulled my hand to my neck, rubbing the heat now emanating from there. 

"Teach me" she whispers, edging closer to me. 

I hand over my guitar and pull her by the waist closer to me. She smiles up at me, a giggle escaping her lips. I tighten my grip on her waist at the sound. 

Raising my arm around her shoulder, I pull the guitar onto her lap and guide her fingers to the chords. She nestles her body into me and hugs the guitar close to her. 

And I teach her how to play guitar. 


	66. Bound

**Draco's POV**

It had been months of late nights and laborious repeated efforts of incantations on the vanishing cabinet. Many nights had ended up in the arms of Aster, both of us panting and taking our frustration out on each other.

The months had flown by, before we knew it, it was May. My schoolwork had taken a blundering hit, Quidditch had fallen off the radar. Nothing was as important as fixing this Vanishing Cabinet.

I felt tired all the time, exhaustion seeped into my bones, the only way I ever felt light was with Aster. I truly meant it. If she wasn't around, I would be an empty shell.

I had no idea how she always looked so serene and refreshed. She had just as much school work than me, yet she spent every night labouring over the stupid piece of wood and every night we ended up spent in more ways than one.

Her Occlumency training was bearing well. More than well. She was a natural, more of a natural than me. After only a few weeks she had finessed the finer points to clearing her mind at a moments notice. I was not a natural legilmens, so I wasn't quite sure how she would stand to someone like the Dark Lord but I was certain it was take some effort to rake through her faux layer of thoughts she had easily constructed.

She was natural liar.

I should be afraid but I was utterly impressed.

Her father had sent my father more material on the cabinet. She had stared intently at the parchment that was scribbled with her father's handwriting for hours. She had been furious that her father was still involved in the task, she had thought that with her help we wouldn't need his guidance. My father however, had a different opinion.

It was nearing the end of February when my father had sent a begrudging letter to me about my lack of progress on the cabinet. It was when I replied that he announced that the Dark Lord had visited Aster's father, demanding him to find a way to fix the cabinet. Ultimately, Aster's father had been tasked with testing the cabinets twin at Borgin and Burkes, an antique shop that housed the other.

I relented on telling Aster this fickle piece of information. I knew It was the wrong thing to do, I should just tell her but a small slither of me was worried she would leave. Leave me to fix the blasted cabinet myself and without Aster, I was one hundred percent sure I would fail.

So, instead, I told her that her father had sent forward more information about the cabinet, while assuring her he was safe at home.

Ignoring that infectious slither of guilt eating away at my insides, I focused on the cabinet and the information provided by her father. It had been three months of back and forth secret correspondence with her father, and we had only progressed at a sedated pace. Each new theory provided by Mr Flint, I had given to Aster with the pretence that he had found a new book that described the information but he had actually found the information by testing on the actual cabinet at Borgin and Burkes.

"You're saying my father sent this to you personally?" Aster asked. Her hair was scooped up in a pony tail but a small curl had fallen in front on her eye. I watched as she pulled it back.

"Well yes, but its only an excerpt from that book he found" I mumbled, forcing up the shield in my mind from the guilt-ridden thoughts surfacing quickly.

"Hmm, it looks like it might work actually..." She said hopefully, setting aside the letter and pacing the cabinet, "It's strange that my father is writing to my boyfriend and he has no idea" she chuckles.

"I'm pretty sure he would hex me with a thousand curses if he knew that his little girl is dating a death eater, a death eater that he has ultimately been black-mailed to help" I grunt.

She narrows her emerald eyes at me, the light of her laughter vanishing instantly.

My heart cracks.

"You're being black-mailed too...its not like you actually want to do this...right?"

We both stand awkwardly opposite each other, the cabinet between us. The question hangs in the air.

"I don't have a choice, you know that. At least not any good choices"

"You're only sixteen..." she whispers, more to herself than me.

"I'm turning seventeen next month" I point out.

She doesn't look up, instead she traces her fingers around the golden arch of the cabinets handle.

"I turn seventeen in October" she adds.

"October 24th" I nod, already knowing her birthday.

"How do you know?" she asks, her eyes now wide and looking at me in surprise.

"I've known since third year. I missed your birthday last year, we weren't exactly...well like this" I gesture to the two of us.

"I'm pretty sure we were fighting on my birthday" she mumbles, her cheeks pink. She picks up the parchment again, her eyes scanning it feverishly.

I roll my eyes at the memory. Before we had kissed we were always bickering, I was always trying to get under her skin.

"Actually, this part here. We never tried this" I walk over to her and take the parchment from her hands, scanning her father's words, I memorise the incantation and the wand movements.

"Lets try it" I decide.

We both take our wands out of our robes.

"I'll do it" I state. She halters, her eyes wavering between my wand and hers, but she relents and nods.

As ambitious and as eager as she is to prove herself, I admire that Aster can put her pride aside. Not necessarily a Slytherin trait but she made up for this in other cunning ways.

As I mutter the spell, the Latin words spilling from my lips in awkward but pronounced syllables.

I trace the movements I memorised with my wand and an odd permeating glow surrounds the cabinet. My heart picks up in speed, the rattling in my ribcage causing an anxiety to ripple through my body.

"Draco" Aster mutters, disbelief evident in her almost whisper.

"I know" I reply, my eyes wide at the obvious change in the cabinet.

It felt right this time, like the vibrations in my wand were tickling my fingers instead of burning them.

After I mutter the incantation one more time, a loud click echoes inside of the wooden cabinet.

"Did you bring another apple?" Aster mutters.

I rush towards my satchel and snatch out a fresh green apple. Grasping the golden arches of the handles, I pull the cabinet open and once again place the apple on the shelf inside.

"We won't be able to find out straight away unless someone is actually there" I explain.

We had attempted the apple trial numerous times over the last few months, to no avail. Aster had no idea that the person on the other end of the cabinet we were waiting to hear from was her father.

"Well it is a Friday, we don't have to get up early tomorrow" Aster's voice was confident and charming.

Her eyes were glittering with mischief, a look she usually saved for charming me into bed.

She moved towards me, lifting her hands to cup my face, a wide grin growing on her face.

"You want to move this party to your room?" she asks, her voice nearing a whisper. 

I grabbed her hips and pulled her body into me, revelling in her warmth. Bringing my lips to hers, I kiss her slowly, savouring her taste. 

I kept the pressuring thoughts of what this meant pushed to the back of my brain, instead I let my body fall under her spell. Her hands wander down to my shoulders grasping them harshly over my jumper. 

"Lets go" I mumble into her lips, desperate to her have unclothed and in my bed. 

**Aster's POV**

If the cabinet was truly mended, it meant that it was the end of this comforting routine we had settled ourselves in. 

It meant the end of the late nights alone with Draco. 

It meant Draco had bigger things to worry about now. 

It meant he was onto the second half of his mission. 

I tried to ignore the nauseous empty pit in my stomach as we kissed. I think some part of me had been burying this information in the depths of my brain, hopeful for it to become non-existent. Maybe now that the cabinet was fixed, Draco could sway the Dark Lord into transferring his mission to someone else. 

I mean a sixteen year old Hogwarts student can't kill a legendary wizard like Albus Dumbledore, right?

I let Draco pull me down the empty hallways, our feet clattering on the cool stone beneath us. Normally, we both exited the room of requirement separately, careful to avoid been caught together, but it seemed that Draco was eager to get to his room. 

We raced down the moving staircases, Draco pulling me into a hidden alcove just before the Slytherin dungeons. 

My back to the cold stone wall, his hands placed above my shoulders, his body caging me in. 

"You go first but I have a favour" he asked, his voice husky and his pupils blown. 

I swallowed deeply but nodded. 

"I want you completely naked when I get there" he murmured, his classic smirk grinning back at me. He quickly pulled me in for a languorous kiss before shoving me out into the hallway and towards the portrait door. 

Once I got to his room, I quickly rid myself of my school clothes, and settled myself on the top of his bed. It was a nice comfort to be in his room for once, we had normally never gotten this far, instead taking our chances in empty classrooms and even on the threadbare couch in the room of requirement. 

The dark green glow of the black lake outside was creating a lustful atmosphere in his room, I had lit the fireplace in the corner of his room, helping the room warm up. It was nearing Summer but the nights were still cool, especially at 1am in the morning. 

After only a few minutes, Draco wandered in. I could only see the shadows of his face in the dim light, the flickers of flames outlining his frame. 

"Merlin" his breathed heavily, causing an eruption of goosebumps to prickle all over my bare skin. No matter how many times we had now done this, his presence still managed to render me speechless. 

"You are fucking stunning Flint" he growled, making his way slowly towards his bed. 

I watched as he pulled apart his tie, flinging the green material to his feet, his grey sweater coming next. He kept his eyes plastered on mine as his fingers nimbly made work on his school shirt, peeling the white material off his skin I found my mouth dry. He was utterly stunning. With the flickering light from the flames in the fire place, his lean muscles stood out handsomely. 

In that moment, my heart swelled. Was this normal? To feel this attracted to someone? And it wasn't even his body or his handsome face, it was him. It was his bravado, his intelligence, his ambitious mentality that was fuelled by his need to look after those he cared about. He was more than the pure blooded cold Slytherin that he portrayed to everyone else and I wished everyone could see that. 

Before I knew it, he was completely naked and climbing on top of me. His skin was warm and smooth and I let my hands wander on their own accord, appreciating the glorious curves on his back and shoulders. Draco kissed my neck, leaving yet again more dark marks in his wake, something he found increasingly amusing when I forgot to cover them up the next day. 

The next thing I knew, a mischievous sparkle glistened in his eyes and his hands grabbed my wrists and pinned them behind my bed. His large strong hands easily contained mine, pushing them aggressively into the soft pillow behind me. His lips greedily made work of the sensitive skin beneath my ear, making me squirm and moan underneath his large body.

"I love the noises you make for me" he whispered hotly in my ear, his teeth grappling my ear and pulling down.

"Only for you" I murmured back, desperate for him to hurry up and give me my release.

His lean frame bent over further and before I knew it, I saw the swish of his wand and a tight rope wrapped around my hands above my head.

My mouth gaped, I looked up at Draco eyes wide.

His smirk was widely plastered on his handsome face, I couldn't help but laugh. 

"Is this ok darling?" 

_Darling. He could call me that any day of the week and I would be putty in his arms._

"When did you become so adept at non-verbal spells?" Was all I could say. 

He grinned, satisfied with my reaction and continued to kiss my neck. 

Murmuring his name over and over again as his lips found their way lower and lower, I couldn't help the choke that escaped my lips as his mouth found my centre. 

His hands greedily cupped my bum as he lifted me closer to his face. A cry left my lips the moment his tongue made contact between my legs. My hips lurched off the mattress when his fingers joined his tongue. Just the very image of his white hair buried between my legs caused my orgasm to ripple through my body. 

As Draco pulled his fingers from my body and wiped his mouth on the back of his arm, I couldn't help but squirm underneath him, desperate for more. And with the electric light in his eyes, I could tell he was thinking the same. 

"You are positively delectable" Draco murmured, his eyes alight with adoration. 

He settled between the cradle of my thighs, and pushed his length into me to the hilt. He emitted a stuttered breath and I threw my head back against the pillows, my eyes rolling back and my hands itching to be unbound so I could press his body close to mine. 

Draco's hand hitched one of my legs up and when I was able to summon the will to open my eyes, I found him staring right back as he thrust at a unhurried pace. Gone was the teasing, the quick and hurried movements of two people desperate need to satisfy their lust. A more delicate atmosphere of physical tenderness prevailed, a need to savour and appreciate what each of us had to offer. His touches along my body made me feel cherished, worshipped. 

He looked down at me as we leisurely moved together, his typical guarded gaze now seemed like an open book to me. My fingers itched to reach up and touch his face. This was utter torture. How could he look so...devoted and not let me touch him? 

He lowered his face down and used his hands to pull mine to his, giving me a slow, deep kiss. He kissed me deeply and it almost seemed like a goodbye, like he was drawing the kiss out to something he could remember later. His touches on my face were gentle, like his finger tips were trying to memorise each angle. 

He pulled his lips away gently and his awed gazed move down to my breasts. His hips kept their steady and deliberate rhythm, and I instantly knew I wanted to climax at least one more before he lost control. When he closed his mouth around one of my nipples, I cried out, arching my back and canting my hips up, forcing him even deeper inside. My arms thrashed behind me, my muscles starting to ache and throb as my whole body tensed up. 

"Draco! I'm....coming!"

He kissed back up my neck and pulled up to lock eyes with me again, the intensity of his reverent gaze sent me hurtling into the blissful abyss. 

"Fuck, Aster" he grunted out and buried his face in the nook between my neck and shoulder. 

My moans complete with my struggles underneath him, spurred him to move faster, his body crashing into mine, almost riding up the orgasm still rippling within me. 

"Please lose control" I whispered into his ear, knowing this normally set him off. 

The last few months together had taught me that sex was not just a physical release for him but a mental one, an act in which he could fully submit himself, in which he could stop feeling soo tightly wound with all his heavy responsibilities. 

His hands found purchase on my hips, his fingers squeezing into the bone. I groaned at the pain, letting the sharp ache mix with my desire for him. His eyes found mine at my groan, gone had the reverent gaze, now his eyes were licked with silver flames. His silver flames. 

My leg was starting to cramp where it rested on his shoulder, but my hands were still tied behind me. As if he read my mind, his hand left the harsh grip he had on my hip and he pulled my leg off his shoulder, massaging my thigh as he continued to pound into me. All I could do was look at him with a bashful stare. 

"Please let me use my hands" I begged.

His eyes flickered to mine and his smirk appeared once again. 

"I like hearing you beg" he murmured, his lip curling up. 

I rolled my eyes at him. 

"Please Draco, please let me touch you" I begged, not feeling the slightest bit ashamed at my pleading. 

His chuckle made my bones rattle and my heart skip a beat. 

"My favourite sound"

"What?" his voice interrupted. 

_Did I say that out loud?_

I looked up and found him frozen on top of me. 

"What's your favourite sound?" He asked, his lip curling up in amusement again. He continued to pound into me, one hand keeping my hip steady. 

"Your laugh" I choked out. 

A red blush crept up his neck and I smiled at him. 

He tore his gaze away from me and picked up his wand from beside his knee, swishing his wand again, he wordlessly unbound me. 

My hand instantly found his chest, my palms tingling at the hot touch of his skin. 

I watched as his eyes rolled back at the contact of my skin on his. 

"Ok I think I prefer you touching me actually" he grinned, before continuing at his forceful pace. 

I pulled him towards me, enjoying the weight of his body on top of mine. Gripping his biceps, I joined my hips up to meet his and suddenly I felt his body tense frigidly under my touch and before I knew it he was spilling into me. 

He laid his spent body on top of mine, and I took my time in running my finger nails up and down his back, enjoying the soft shivers emanating from his body. 

Pulling himself off me, he relaxed onto his side, resting his head on his elbow to look at me. 

"Fucking spectacular" he murmured, his eyes washed over with a dreamy lust. 

"You fucked me pretty good Malfoy" I murmured sleepily, enjoying the way he looked naked sprawled out at my side. 

"No, I meant you. Just you. You're fucking spectacular" he murmured before pulling me towards him and tucking me into his side. 

I grinned and settled myself into his heat. 

After a few more minutes, I felt his breathing become shallow as he entered into his deep sleep. I let my eyes droop, comforted by the fact I was probably going to be able to sleep without nightmares tonight. 

Before I let my body succumb to the darkness, Draco's chest rumbled. 

"I love you" he mumbled, almost incoherently in his dreamy state. 

And then, all hope of sleep vanished. 


	67. Goodbyes

**Draco's POV**

The cabinet worked.

Leaving Aster in my bed, I anxiously made my way back to the Room of Requirement. A perfect green apple was sitting on the shelf inside the cabinet, but this time a large bite was taken out of it's smooth skin.

My forehead was slick with sweat. My heart raced incessantly in my chest.

I stared at the pop of green in the dreary cabinet and all I could think of was Aster.

What the fuck was I doing?

Was I really going to let a group of death eaters climb through this cabinet and take over the school?

The school I grew up in.

Shaking my head, I slammed the cabinet doors and raced towards the Great Hall. Breakfast was starting and the morning post was soon to be delivered. I was guaranteed a letter from either Aster's father or my own.

Either way, the letter's content was something I was dreading.

\---

Breakfast was in full swing. I noticed Aster chatting animatedly with Blaise. I wasn't sure if it was the comfort of seeing her face but I found my legs pulling me towards her.

Before I knew it, I was sitting myself down next to her.

I looked up to find her eyes wide in shock. Even Blaise had stopped eating, his fork paused on its way to his mouth.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, her eyes whizzing around the table in panic.

"Eating breakfast" I grumbled.

_Please just let me eat breakfast with you once. Who knew when I could do this again?_

"You do realise you're sitting next to me?" she whispered. She stayed facing forward, reaching her hand towards her goblet. I had to pull my gaze from her face.

"Fancy that" I mumbled, picking up a piece of toast and slathering butter on the thick crust.

Aster huffed and I couldn't help the smirk that was rising on my face.

I felt a sudden yearning for something that could have been. A sense of normalcy that I could have had if things were different. The fact that soon, I would instead by sitting at my dining table at the Manor with a group of people very different to the group I was surrounded by now was making me feel almost mournful. Like I should take these moments now while I still can and make the most of them.

I casually gripped the bench beneath me with one hand, using my other to feed myself. Reaching my fingers across the bench I found Aster's thigh. Her warm skin was making me almost feverish myself. Her gasp at my sudden touch made her choke on the cornflakes she was eating. I smiled to myself as she shoved Blaise's concern away and instead gulped down her juice. She narrowed her eyes at me, careful to not seem as if she was actually looking at me.

I slid my palm to the inside of her thigh and pulled her closer to me so it didn't seem too obvious. She jumped at my force and made it look like she was pulling her skirt down. It didn't look so obvious being so close to each other as the table was now full, students from each side were shuffling onto benches, bunching up so others could join.

I just needed to touch her. To ground myself.

She was warm and smooth and it just felt so right.

A smile was growing on my lips, but not even a second later it vanished. The morning post was here.

My family owl swooped down in front of me, plopping a large envelope onto my plate. Ripping my hand from Aster's thigh, I felt an overwhelming snap in my chest.

Quickly opening the letter, I let my eyes skim the contents before shoving it closed and picking myself up from the table.

My heart felt like it was going to implode.

"What is it?" Aster surprisingly asked.

Blaise looked up, his eyes staggeringly dark and sceptical.

I didn't answer Aster, instead I pulled away from the table and fled.

**Aster's POV**

It was his eyes that made me stagger.

_It's tonight._

They looked so sullen and empty and it made me want to throw up.

Looking at Blaise, I found him also looking equally horrified.

"What?" I asked him, panicked by his expression.

"Something's wrong. What have you been up to?" he asked outright.

My mouth went dry and I felt my brain glitch.

"You know I can't tell you the details" I explained, watching as his eyes grew darker.

"If you're in danger you need to tell me" he whispers, his eyebrows furrowing, making his forehead wrinkle.

"I can look after myself Blaise" I hissed, suddenly very aware that I was probably way out of my depths now.

Things were changing and I had no idea what to do next.

\----

**Draco's POV**

I found Bainbridge idly waiting outside the Room of Requirement. She looked utterly miserable, her hands were shaking and all colour had been washed from her face.

"What are you doing here?" I ordered.

Her lips curled up in a distasteful sneer.

"Professor Snape told me it was to happen tonight" She stated.

I blanched.

"How do you know?" I hissed.

"You don't think you've been working alone this whole time do you?"

I waited for her to continue, my eyes searing into hers.

"That necklace. That was my idea not your fathers. I don't know if you even heard but the mead that that bloody idiot Ron Weasley drank was also supposed to be for him. You weren't the only one tasked with getting rid of him" she spoke with such venom it sounded like it wasn't even Harper talking.

"Why would he give us both the same task?" I asked, almost spitting the words at her.

"I guess he didn't trust you to really go through with it" she smiled, her eyes twinkling with an ungodly wickedness.

"He was wrong. What the fuck do you think I've been doing this whole time?"

"It's taken you months to even fix this thing. We all thought you were delaying the inevitable Malfoy"

I clenched my fists.

"You all underestimate me" I spat out, the anger coiling in my stomach, begging to be let out. Instead, I pulled into my Occlumency.

"Obviously" She laughed.

"What the fuck happened to you Bainbridge? I always knew you were an evil bitch but it seems like you've completely rid yourself of all humanity"

Her eyes twitched and I could tell I hit a nerve. _So maybe not all of her humanity_.

"This is what happens when you've been bullied and shoved aside your whole life. This is me. I don't have to pretend anymore. I don't have to pretend I don't care that no one will ever accept me" She rants, her eyes growing bloodshot.

"Aster accepted you" I murmured.

"Aster?" she scoffed.

"Aster never asked me about my family, never asked me how I really felt. She always just assumed I was happy with who we were, the outcasts, the poor half-bloods. She never cared. Not truly. She was always too caught up in her own self pity and selfishness to ever really see that I was unhappy. That I hated being a half-blood"

"That whole time, you just pretended to be her friend?" I scoffed, very aware of the lies she was spitting through her teeth.

"It's rather easy to pretend," she simply said.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"What are you doing here Bainbridge?" I asked again.

"The Dark Lord has tasked me with keeping Slytherin students out of the way when you let the others through" she states, her words coming out orderly and automated.

"Ok? Well now I know so you can fuck off"

She narrows her brown eyes at me but turns on her eyes with a scoff and heads back down the corridor.

Stomaching reeling, I walked into the room of requirement and stared at the cabinet. I let my Occlumency take away feelings of doubt and instead focus on the task at hand.

\--

I was staring absentmindedly at the cabinet when Aster walked in.

Her robes billowed out behind her, her hair in perfect curls and her eyes full with fury.

Fuck.

"Were you really just going to leave without saying goodbye?" She yells, her eyes wide and concerned.

"How do you-"

"You literally just said ' _it's today'_ before you walked out of breakfast?"

"I didn't say anything?" I cock an eyebrow.

I watched as her features changed from anger to outright confusion.

"I heard you?" her voice was timid now, unsure.

"I swear to merlin I did not say a thing" I say, pulling myself up from the couch.

Her eyes flickered around my face, searching for something.

"Are you using Occlumency right now?" She asks, her voice going up an octave.

"Yeah?"

"I can feel you using it.." she whispers.

"You can't feel people using Occlumency Aster" I scoff.

"Stop using it. Let the walls down but don't tell me when" she orders.

"No!-"

"Please just stop. Or even better, think of something. Real or fake" she orders. I watch her green eyes, her pupils flicker back and forth as she thinks. I look down at her hands but they stay clenched by her sides, no wand in sight.

"Ok.." I answer cautiously.

I think about this morning. About how I watched as she slept on my chest, my fingers curling around her hair, feeling the softness tickle my skin. I reminisced about the slow soft rhythm of my heart, the peace and quiet.

"Fuck" She interrupts.

"What?"

"Was that this morning?" She asks, her eyes going soft.

My heart races at the realisation of what she just did. She just read my mind without muttering a single spell.

"Yes- but how?" I stutter.

"I don't know. I thought you were talking to me at breakfast but then I felt something pressing at the edge of my brain...like your mind was itching to be let into mine..." she trails off, her thoughts reeling back into her own mind.

"You used legilimency on me?" I asked.

"I didn't even need my wand..." she answers, her eyes looking at her hands in shock.

"I don't have time for this...fuck. Aster- you need to leave" I ordered, shoving the walls back up in my brain.

She continues to stare at her hands, her eyes wide in shock.

"Aster!" I yell, collecting her hands in mine and gripping them tightly.

"You need to go. They will be here soon. It's happening now. This morning in fact and you can't be here. They can't see you with me" I explain, my hands turning her hands over and linking our fingers together.

"You weren't going to say goodbye?" she asks.

I watched as her eyes drew blank.

"I thought it would be easier," I muttered.

"I don't expect you to pour your heart out but at least say goodbye. Who knows when I'm going to see you again?"

"If you're going to see me again" I mutter.

Her eyes flash at me, dread and concern flood her features.

"Don't say that. Of course I will see you again..."

"Aster, do you really think we're going to live happily ever after? There's a war. If Voldemort wins, I'll be married off to another snob of a pureblood." I never wanted to bring this up, I had even avoided this very thought.

"I'm just a half-blood. Voldemort himself is a half-blood for Merlin's sake! He's got my father in his clutches, maybe he will have a soft spot for me. Maybe he will let us be together?" Her voice cracks at saying his name.

She steps closer to me but rocks on her heels.

"Maybe for someone like Montague but I'm a Malfoy. My father is his right hand man, my life isn't up to me now..."

"So that's it?" she squeaks.

She stands her ground, her hands clenched but her face seems downright devastated and I feel my heart crack, and I'm instantly aware that my heart won't ever be mended after this. There will be no one bust Aster for me, I know it and she knows it.

"Just promise me one thing?" I step closer and cup her jaw with my hands. Her try to pour every emotion into those emerald eyes of hers.

"Don't come looking for me. Stay safe, try and stay away. Convince your family to move away, don't come back to Hogwarts. This is it Aster, this is the start of the war. Without Dumbledore this is no hope. The Dark Lord has won."

She grips her hands onto my waist as I say this, her grip tightening with every word.

"He hasn't won yet" she says stubbornly, her eyes boring into mine.

"Please promise me, stay safe. For me" I whisper against her lips before pressing them into mine.

It's chaste but firm. I won't allow myself anything more. Last night would be forever ingrained in my brain anyway.

"I promise" she whispers. Her cheeks are wet and it actually frightens me to see Aster Flint crying.

Brushing the tears with my thumb, I try to memorise every mark on her face. Every freckle, every dimple, every skin blemish.

I let my hands wander to her neck and I fiddle with the ring on her necklace.

"I think this would look better on your finger don't you?" I try and smile but it comes out forced and awkward.

She looks down at my fingers fiddling with her ring and she nods. She reaches behind her hair and unclasps the silver chain, sliding the ring off the thread it lands in her hand. I pluck it out of her hand and find her right ring finger. I look up and find her staring down, her eyes round and sad. I slide the silver family ring onto her finger and bring her hand up to my lips to leave a soft firm kiss on top for the cold silver jewellery.

"Remember who you are" I murmur, looking up into her eyes and hoping she knows what I mean.

"You need to remember that too Draco. You're not just a Malfoy" she murmurs back, her voice confident but her eyes soft. 


	68. The Lightening-Struck Tower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that all writing in italics has been taken from Chapter 27 of the Half-Blood Prince and belongs to JK Rowling. I have however altered it to first person, as well as added/altered a few bits and pieces to correlate with this book.
> 
> Please remember that this is purely for entertainment purposes and this is still an alternative universe- happy reading!

**Draco's POV**

My thoughts were knuckled down, held tight in the small space in the back of my mind. The only thing rattling in my head was the fact that I had successfully managed to sneak a number of Death Eaters into Hogwarts via a pair of Vanishing Cabinets.

"Those little prats are watching the outside corridor Malfoy, who did you tell?!" Amycus Carrow yelled, his patchy skin growing blotchy with rage.

Ignoring him, I peered out of the room. Catching a pair of feet slip around a corridor, I instantly grabbed a packet of Peruvian instant darkness powder out of my trouser pocket. Rolling my eyes at the Carrow twins incessant bickering, I quickly pushed my arm out in front of Greyback who was on the very urge of uttering a curse, his wand pointing in the direction of our eavesdroppers. I nodded towards the powder now in my hands and didn't wait for anyone's approval before I rushed out of the room and threw the powder in the corridor, causing a granulated darkness to fill every nook in the corridor. I didn't wait for the others to follow, instead I ran in the direction of the Astronomy tower.

After hearing the heavy footsteps of what I assumed was Yaxley, the Carrows, Greyback, Rowle and Gibbon, I led them to the Astronomy Tower, quickly pushing that niggling memory of my one and only date with Aster to the very back of my head.

I watched in an almost delusional state as Yaxley placed a cursed barrier at the Towers only entrance, in order to prevent anyone except a Death Eater from passing through. Gulping back my ragged breaths, I watched in disbelief as Gibbon fired the Dark Mark out of an open window, the black smoke, a snake coiling around the tower and into the sky. I left the Death Eaters fending to various curses been thrown at them from the courtyard.

Mere moments later I had arrived at the top of the tower to find Professor Dumbledore standing idly in the middle of the room. Quite sure I heard voices, I looked around the room to find it empty. Instantly, with no opportunity for my thoughts to slip, I disarmed Dumbledore.

 _"Who else is here?"_ I ordered, watching as Dumbledore's wand clattered to one side.

_"A question I might ask you. Or are you acting alone?"_

_"No, I've got backup. There are Death Eaters here in your school tonight"_ I replied hastily. 

_I caught Dumbledore's eye and knew that Potter must still be lurking. So the headmaster was trying to make me, a Slytherin Prince look like a broken soul- a scared little boy, forced into his position, as if he had no choice._

_"Well, well," said Dumbledore._ I wasn't sure if his tone was condescending. _"Very good indeed. You found a way to let them in, did you?"_

 _"Yeah, right under your nose and you never realised"_ I was panting now, trying to keep the adrenaline in my blood pumping so I could pull this off. 

_"Ingenious...Yet...Forgive me...where are they now? You seem unsupported"._

_"They met some of your guards. They're having a fight down below. They won't be long...I came on ahead- I've got a job to do"_ I managed to spit out, my mouth suddenly feeling as dry as sand.

_"Well then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy"_

There was silence, I stood imprisoned within my own body, my occlumency was slipping, my panic seeping through the cracks. 

_"Draco, Draco, you are not a killer."_

_"How do you know?"_ I yelled, instantly realising how childish that sounded coming from my lips. 

_"You don't know what I'm capable of" I said more forcefully, "You don't know what I've done!"_

_"Oh yes I do" Dumbledore said casually. "You almost killed Katie Bell. You have been trying, with increasingly desperation to kill me all year. Forgive me, Draco, but they have been feeble attempts...so feeble, to be honest, that I wonder whether you heart has been really in it"._

His old eyes flickered, and for a moment I was wondering if he was talking about me in general or about how my heart was somewhere else this whole time. 

_"I've been working on it all year, and tonight- "_ Somewhere in the depths of the castle below, I heard a muffled yell. I stiffened and glanced over my shoulder. 

_"Somebody is putting up a good fight" said Dumbledore conversationally, "But you were saying...yes, you have managed to introduce Death Eaters into my school, which I admit, I thought impossible...How did you do it?"_

I said nothing. My attention was on what was happening below. My thoughts flashed to Aster for a brief second. 

_"Perhaps you ought to get on with the job alone," he suggested. "What if your backup has been thwarted by my guard? As you have perhaps realised, there are members of the Order of the Phoenix here tonight too. And after all, you don't really need help...I have no wand at the moment...I cannot defend myself"_

I merely stared at him. 

_"I see, you are afraid to act until they join you"_

My temper rose suddenly. 

_"I am not afraid!" I snarled, "It's you who should be scared"_ I added in a mutter. 

_"But why? I don't think you will kill me, Draco. Killing is not nearly as the innocent believe...so tell me, while we wait for your friends...how did you smuggle them in here? It seems to have taken you a long time to work out how to do it"_

Bile rose in my throat, the acid remnants coated my mouth. I gulped, and took several deep breaths, glaring at the old man before me, pointing my wand directly at his heart. 

_"I had to mend that broken Vanishing Cabinet that no ones used for years"_ I managed to spit out. 

_"Aah" Dumbledore sighed. He closed his eyes for a moment. "That was clever...There is a pair, I take it?"_

_"In Borgin and Burkes, and they made a kind of passage between them. It wasn't easy fixing it, it took a lot of time and testing_ between us _" I_ quickly snapped my mouth shut at the last word. The bile in my throat threatened to leave my mouth. 

_"Very good" he murmured. "So the Death Eaters were able to pass from Borgin and Burkes into the school to help you...A clever plan, a very clever plan...and as you say, right under my nose"_

I didn't reply at that. 

_"But there were times, weren't there, when you were not sure you would succeed in mending the cabinet? and you resorted to crude and badly judged measures such as sending me that cursed necklace_ , or was that someone else's idea?"

I didn't dare reply. No matter how much I despised Harper Bainbridge, I wasn't going to rat her out like a third grader. 

_"So let us discuss your options, Draco"_

_"My options!" I said loudly, "I'm standing here with a wand - I'm about to kill you-"_

_"My dear boy, let us have no more pretence about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first disarmed me, you would not have stopped for this pleasant chat"_

_"I haven't got any options!"_ I felt like my whole body was about to collapse, _"He will kill me! He'll kill my whole family, my - my - friends"_ I stammered. 

_"I appreciate the difficultly of your position" I scoffed at this, "I did not dare speak to you of the mission with which I knew you had been entrusted, in case he used Legilimency against you" Dumbledore continued, "But now we can speak plainly to each other...no harm has been done, you have hurt nobody, I can help you"._

_"No you can't"_ my wand hand was shaking badly, _"Nobody can. He told me to do it or hell kill me. I've got no choice"_

 _"He cannot kill you if you are already dead. Come over to the right side. Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine, What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise_ , I can even hide Miss Flint if that's what you desire"

I stared at him, that's all I could do in that moment. My mother, mentioning Aster, I didn't know what to do. 

_Suddenly, footsteps were thundering up the stairs, and a second later I was buffeted out of the way as four people in black robes burst thought the door onto the ramparts._

Amycus wheezed as he saw Dumbledore cornered, with no wand. 

"Do it!" Greyback said, his voice a rasping bark. 

_"Draco- do it or stand aside so one of us- " screeched Alecto, the other Carrow twin, but at that precise moment, the door to the ramparts burst open once more and there stood Snape, his wand clutched in his hand as his black eyes swept the scene, from Dumbledore slumped against the wall, to the four Death Eaters._

_"Severus..." Dumbledore pleaded._

Professor Snape said nothing, but walked forward and pushed me out of the way. I scuffled against a nearby wall and felt the air knock out of my lungs. 

_"Avada Kedarva!" Snape yelled._

_A jet of green light shot from the end of Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore squarely in the chest._ I watched in horror as he was blasted into the air. _For a split second, he seemed to be suspended beneath the shining skull in the sky, and then he fell slowly backward, like a great rag doll, over the battlements and out of sight._

"Out of here, quickly" said Snape, seizing me by the scruff of my neck and forcing me through the door ahead of the rest. 

We had to force our way through the flurry of Dumbledore's Order, with Snape barrelling through, his hands still dragging me by the cuff of my jumper, I could only tumble after him. I was still in shock and in that moment I felt weak. Shame rippled through my body. 

Flashes of light spun past me as we ran through the chaos, my eyes only sought out one thing though. A person. 

We were still running, the gates looming ahead of us, when a flash of red whizzed past my shoulder. Turning around abruptly I saw Potter throwing curses at Professor Snape. 

"Run, Draco!" Snape yelled, before he turned and faced Potter. 

I looked around me but we were mostly alone. I could see multiple spells being flung across the top of the hill we had just run down but I couldn't make anyone out. Suddenly, a small hand grasps my forearm and yanks me away from Potter and Snape. 

"What is wrong with you?" a familiar voice screeches beside me. 

I turn around to find none other than Harper Bainbridge, her eyes furious, her lips in a stern line. She's wearing dark robes, looking ever the part of a Death Eater. To confirm, I look down and pull her sleeve up to find the Dark Mark swirling in earnest on her forearm, the very picture of my own. 

"Yes, yes I got the mark just like you. Now come on before you get yourself killed!" she yells. 

Something about seeing Harper bear the Dark Mark stirs something in my chest. My heart really didn't belong in this task, in his regime. I always knew that, but seeing Harper here, dark robes, coldness seeping through her normally bright sarcastic eyes, I knew I was doomed. I would never be able to commit myself one hundred percent, not when my heart lie elsewhere. I was going to get myself killed. 

I looked back at the castle, my eyes feverishly searching for the familiar dark curls and green eyes. I was one step in that direction when Harper pulled me towards her. 

"No" she simply says, her tone firm. 

I look at her in confusion. 

"She's fine. I made sure Blaise took her away from this....chaos" she mutters. She can't look me in the eyes, and I wonder if our talk earlier had anything to do with this small act. 

"Why?" I ask, my voice coming out in a squeak.

She doesn't reply, instead she just shoots me a filthy look and drags me into the depths of the Forbidden forest. 


	69. Darkness

**Aster's POV**

I had to find Blaise. I had to find someone to help me. I wasn't the type of person to let Draco do this completely by himself. I had to at least give him some extra back up, even if he had no idea. I wasn't entirely sure about the logistics or the strategy that Draco and the Death Eaters had come up with. I suppose Draco was a Death Eater.

I think I had been so caught up with helping him fix the cabinet, my brain tried to push the fact that the outcome of that would be brutal. It was wrong, and I knew it. I knew that I was helping an evil propaganda.

Students were hurrying through the hallways, the sounds of crashing and yelling seemed to echo down the cavernous stone corridors. It was only a moment ago I was pacing through the grounds, my head in the clouds.

My eyes were ultimately searching for the black robes of the Death Eaters. But instead they caught the gruesome sight of the Dark Mark gleaming in the sky just above the Astronomy Tower. The glaring gleam seemed to create a striking light against the darkness now created by the muggy clouds.

My wand clutched in my hand, I felt my heart race but I willed my brain to shut off. Occlumency was hard when your body was fuelled with adrenaline.

"Aster!"

Blaise was running towards me, his robes billowing behind him, his wand in his hand. His eye's were a flurry of emotions, panic, anger, desperation flickered in his iris's. He pushed through a swirl of flustered students to get to me, his arms finding my shoulders, a heavy sigh of relief soon followed after.

"Blaise, I need to get to the astronomy tower. I need to help him! "I yelled above the panic.

"No" Blaise yelled before reaching down to grab my arm.

I yanked it away before he could pull me away from the Tower. Stepping backwards, I yelled at him in panic. I was never normally this frantic, but my blood was listening to the chaotic movement around me and my thoughts were shouting just one name. 

"Don't!" I screamed.

"Aster, we need to get out of here "he explained, his dark eyes darting between mine. 

"We need to help him" I was pleading now, I was desperate. Something was niggling the back of my mind, like I could feel the storm before it crackled above us. 

"We can't be seen with him. We can't be seen taking sides" he explains, his eyes frantically looking side to side.

"I don't care about sides, this is about him" I yelled back. I sounded like a love sick widow.

Suddenly, an image flashed into my brain.

Harper was shoving Blaise to one side, her eyes dark and tired. She was yelling at him, Blaise was standing still.

"You need to get out of here and take Aster. Go through the passage way to Hogsmeade and then apparate to somewhere safe just don't tell me where!" she ordered.

Blaise tried to argue but Harper grasped his hand and squeezed. There was a small moment where Aster could see the Harper she thought she knew before but it was quickly replaced with the coldness that had seeped through her over the past few months. She watched as Blaise glanced down at Harper's hand, the hand squeezing his. 

Then I was brought back to looking straight into Blaise's dark eyes.

"You're listening to her?" I spat, furious.

"What? Blaise's eyebrows furrowed, obviously confused. 

"Harper told you to take me. To go through the secret passageway.." I explained, my words hurried and mumbled.

He's eye now burrowed into mine, as if searching for an explanation. 

"How?" 

"I just saw it. You and her. Why would you trust her? After everything she did to us, you think its wise to listen to her. She's probably sending us into some kind of trap!"

Blaise shook his head as if he was trying to get my words to tumble out of his head.

"Aster don't make me do this" He warned.

His tone was serious and laced with something I couldn't quite recognise. 

I was stupid really. I should have seen his wand angled to me, I should have reacted sooner to his attack. 

"Stupefy"

The world went black. 

**Draco's POV**

I was pulled into a side-along apparition by Harper. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I heaved until my stomach and throat felt like it was on fire. 

"Gross" 

I looked up to find Harper, her lips turned up, sneering at me. 

"Fuck off"

Then I looked around me. I was home. 

"What the fuck? Why are we here?" I demanded. 

She shrugged off her black robes and threw them at a nearby elf. 

"The Dark Lord requires a meeting with you" was all she said. She didn't even bother looking at me, instead she walked down the hallway and towards the dinning hall. 

"Since when were you the Dark Lords laky?", I spat. 

She span around at that. 

She looked livid, and old. She looked old now. There were more crinkles around her eyes, her skin was now a more ashy yellow. What had she done?

"We all have our reasons for being here Malfoy" She spat before swiftly turning around and continuing towards the Dining Hall. 

Watching her walk so confidently and comfortably in my own home was so unnerving I had to swallow the bile that was already rising in my throat. 

After wiping my mouth on my sleeve, I braced myself against a wall. I needed to focus. I needed to close my mind off. If the Dark Lord was going to riffle through my head, today was going to be the day. I looked around for Snape, the sudden urge to look for someone for guidance. The foyer was empty, it was only me. I was the only one that could decide what to do now. 

Was I really going to lie to the Dark Lord? The most powerful wizard on earth? 

Fuck. 

I rubbed my temples, and let myself wallow in all the dark emotions now whizzing around in my head. 

I needed to do this for my mother, my family, for Aster, for her father and her family. I needed to stay alive. 

I finally let those mental shields raise, blocking the debilitating emotions I had felt over the last hour and shoving them to the darkest crevice in my mind. Instead I let that shiny shield beam bright and I focused on the emptiness now settling. I had to focus extremely hard if I wanted to conjure up false memories at a moment notice. 

My body jolted as I expended the last of my magical capacity. It was a dark emptiness you felt when you occluded this deep, like you were floating in a grey cloud. It wasn't pleasant but it also wasn't unpleasant. 

They key to not losing yourself in when you occluded was to remember who you were. 

I was a Malfoy. 


	70. Punishments

**Draco's POV**

I didn't really know what to expect. I hadn't let myself think about what comes after Dumbledore's death. I suppose going back to Hogwarts was out of the question. It wasn't like I necessarily needed a complete education. I didn't need a job, I had enough money to last generations. I suppose my job now was to be a Death Eater.

Death Eater's were sitting chests out, heads high around the vast dining table when I walked in. Harper was standing idly next to what looked like her father at the far end of the room. Both Death Eaters, but not high standing enough to have a seat at the Dark Lord's table. I saw my father next, sitting on the Dark Lord's right. Lord Voldemort was head and centre at the table, his red eyes glaring at me from across the room.

"Draco, please sit" his voice echoed around the room in a charming way, if I hadn't been currently occluding it's very tone would have made my body shiver with fear.

"Yes my Lord" I heard my voice say.

I walked calmly towards the seat next to my father. Many of those sitting already were the Death Eater's I had let through the Vanishing Cabinet, their eyes narrowed as I took a seat next to my father. I noticed a few chairs were empty, I deduced Snape and the Carrow's had yet to return.

"I have been informed you did not fully complete your task. Why is this?"

I felt my father still next to me, but I dared look. Instead I looked straight at the Dark Lord and readied myself for the intrusion.

Before I could even speak a word my father's words carried through the room instead.

"I apologise, my Lord. My son is still weak and young. But Dumbledore is dead, that is all we needed" My father's voice never faltered.

The Dark Lord's cackle made everyone in the room stop breathing.

I watched as his pet snake made its way towards him, he bent his thin hand to stroke the large snake's head.

"Your son is also stupid. He could not fix the cabinet by himself. Lucius, you have done a poor job at raising this child. Was he just born without a backbone?" he taunted, his eyes seemed to have turned into a shade of blood red instead of the dark scarlet they usually were.

"Even Flint could not fix this cabinet by himself and he's been working on protective enchantments since he was a young boy. If we should punish anyone it should be him" my father argued, his voice took on a whining quality.

The Dark Lord seemed to ponder my father's words for a minute, his hand still stroking Nagini's head.

"Peter, please go and fetch Mr Flint" he ordered, not bothering to look towards Peter Pettigrew, who was standing hunched in the dark corner behind him.

An uncomfortable feeling niggled in the back of my brain.

"Draco you will need to follow us closely if you are willing to learn. But I will not take this failure lightly"

I gulped.

"He will join me on our mission up North Master" My father added, his voice slightly nerving.

"No Lucius, he will be going back to Hogwarts."

I felt my father stiffen and noticed him shuffle in his seat. I kept my gaze on the dark oak table in front of me.

Suddenly, a clattering came from down the hall. Pettigrew brought through a man with dark curly hair, the roots scattered with grey. The man had a pair of glasses perched on his nose and was wearing dark blue robes. He looked flustered and down right terrified.

As he was brought forward, his eyes wandered to mine. The same exact colour as Aster's. For a brief second, my mind slipped.

"Draco, I do not think you are quite ready for this but I do want you to watch and learn." The dark Lord's voice drifted through the silent room.

No one said anything as Mr Flint was shoved to the end of the dining table, he stumbled clumsy, his glasses clattering on the ground.

"Mr Flint, although we were successful in getting the Death Eater's through to Hogwarts, it was not in the time period in which I demanded. Due to this mishap, we were met with Dumbledore's own people. This is not acceptable, don't you agree?"

"Yes my lord" Mr Flint muttered, his voice was deep and raspy.

"I was told that you understand the mechanics as well as many theories regarding protective enchantments. I was told you were the best in your field."

"Yes my lord"

"Why is it then, that even with the help of a sixteen year old, you could not mend this cabinet in the required time?"

"My apologise my lord, I had not come across the type of dark magic associated with the cabinet before"

Lord Voldemort listened to Mr Flint but the entire room kept their eyes on him.

"Now if you were not a pureblood Mr Flint, I would have already disposed of you. But in this case, I believe a just punishment is in order in the form of the cruciatus curse. Draco, please observe closely."

Lord Voldemort didn't bother rising from his chair, instead he raised his wand up level with Mr Flint who was standing tall next to the fireplace behind a few empty seats. His eyes narrowed slightly as he examined the man.

"Draco, with the cruciatus curse, you need to mean it" he said his eyes not leaving Mr Flints.

Even with my occlumency I could feel the chill of his words skim across my bones. I nodded towards him, my eyes steadily trained on his wand.

As he muttered the unforgivable curse, my whole body felt frozen, even my mind seemed to still. My eyes slowly made their way towards Mr Flint and I just stared at the withering form of the body that the girl I loved called Father.

He screamed and he screamed. He pleaded and cried.

He called out for someone called Alison.

And then he called out for Aster.

**Blaise's POV**

My feet hit the ground with such a harsh shudder, I took a slight tumble forward. Apparating while holding an unconscious girl in my arms was no small task.

Her dark hair had fallen from her braids, a few strands covered one half of her face. I could feel her chest move up and down gradually against my own chest. She looked impossibly young and an overwhelming wave of hesitancy washed over me.

I took a deep breath and looked up to see the townhouse I had become acquainted with over Christmas.

12 Grimmauld Place. 


	71. Epilogue

**Aster's POV**

My head was thumping, my body felt like lead.

I tried to lift my arm to rub my temples but my arm laid numbly on a soft surface.

My eyelids stuck to my eyeballs, but after a few moments of deep breaths, I was able to open my eyes to a mere squint.

A darkness welcomed me. A small dull light emanated from one corner.

"She's waking up" a familiar voice spoke.

"She's been given a sedation potion, she should be calm enough" another non-familiar voice echoed.

Opening my eyes wider, the strain caused my head to pound beneath my eyes.

Blaise was perched next to me, he had a sort of dullness beneath his eyes.

"Aster, its me Blaise, you're ok" his voice was oddly comforting, soothing even.

"Wha-" My throat was dry and scratchy and the rest of my sentence came out in a squeak.

"I'm sorry, I had to stun you to get you out of there" he started to explain.

And suddenly I remembered.

I shot upwards, my hands pushing myself from the bed I was currently laid out on. Spots clouded my vision, and I felt a warm hand press against my shoulder blades, keeping me steady.

"What the fuck happened?" I croaked. The spots in my vision were sporadic now. Rashly, I started to blink, begging the fuzziness to disappear so I could finally look at where I was.

"Aster, calm down. You're going to have a headache from the potions and the spell" Blaise's voice warned beside me.

His hand rubbed my back in small circles and if I wasn't feeling so nauseous I would have ripped it away.

A glass was thrusted in front of me. I couldn't make out what was inside it, all I could see beneath the blur was a grey liquid.

"Drink, it will clear your head a bit"

I hesitated briefly but the desperation to alleviate the pounding in my head subsided my doubt.

Gulping down the strange liquid with the glass in one hand, I let my other grab Blaise's hand from my back and shove it aside.

Almost instantaneously, the pounding in the base of my skull subsided. The ache behind my eyes took a few more minutes. Finally, I could examine my surroundings with clear vision.

I was sitting on a large four poster bed, in a dark and dusty room. The room seemed ultimately unoccupied, with just a chest of drawers opposite me and a pair of deep purple curtains covering the window. I tore my gaze towards Blaise. He was sitting upright on an old ornate chair, he was wearing his usual grey jumper, except it had been torn at the collar. His eyes were bloodshot and grey, and what looked like dust was settled in his short hair.

"Blaise, where are we?" I ordered, my voice strained against the dryness of my throat.

"12 Grimmauld Place, London" he answered simply.

I gave him a look of exhaustion.

"That means nothing to me. What are we doing here? Why did you - you - fucking stun me?" My voice grew louder as I found it.

"Aster, please..." he sounded morose, almost unsure about what he was doing.

"Blaise, you better fucking explain"

He looked behind him and I followed his gaze. My sight fell on a closed door.

When he looked back at me, he breathed deeply.

"I'm with the Order, Aster. The Order of the Phoenix" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -The end- 
> 
> ....of Rivals. 
> 
> For more Aster and Draco moments, please continue to the Sequel - Mercy!


End file.
